Tomorrow Is Never Promised
by Jeabird
Summary: A classic scene happens but for once there's a twist which no one saw coming. No one exactly what was coming next either. [Occurs three and half/four years after Anime/Manga!] (More than likely irregular updates) ON HOLD - WRITER'S BLOCK ILLNESS HAS BEEN CONTRACTED FOR THIS STORY.
1. Chapter 1: The Accident

So when I first created my FanFiction account it was to publish a Shugo Chara! story which I have since removed. I said I would make another Shugo Chara! story and it would be a Amu x Kukai and well the idea kind of came to me so I wrote it and thought 'hey why not fulfill the promise I made'. It's probably not the best and rushed, I'm used to chapter stories and this is only the second one shot I have tried to write. **Strike that, so due to requests it's contining. [The Chapter has been edited since first posted, nothing major just fixed some errors so no story changes besides grammar and spelling.]**

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**Chapter One:** The Accident

[Amu's P.O.V]

I sat on the park bench with my eyes closed. I was cold; the winter air had already made it through the thin jacket that I wore. I was freezing but it didn't bother me that much. It fit for today. I opened my eyes and I stared at the ground that was covered with snow but it was blurry thanks to the tears. I put my freezing cold hands together and rested my forehead on them.

"Please, I just need a friend." I muttered the words and hoped that I would get someone I could talk to that others could actually see not a Shugo Chara this time.

"Amu!" I jumped and I looked up, my eyes met emerald green eyes as he ran towards me.

"K-Kukai?" I was surprised that he appeared or that he was even worried about me.

"Hey what's wrong?" Once he was in front of me he bent down.

It's been a while since we had actually talked instead of just passing conversation. It's been three years since I first moved to Seiyo and met the Guardians. We had been busy between school and jobs so we never really talked much anymore. The last time we actually talked it was about how Utau had dumped him, which really confused me.

"It's nothing." I muttered the words but I knew that he knew they were a lie.

"Don't lie to me; I know you don't cry over nothing." He placed his hands on my face and brushed my tears away but I saw a surprised look cross his face.

"You're freezing cold, how long have you been out here?" I watched as he took off his coat and wrapped it around me.

"You're going to get cold Kukai." Yet when I looked at him I realized something.

He was better dressed for the cold than I was even without his coat. He wore a thick sweeter that would probably keep him warm for a while along with a pair of cargo pants. He also had a hat on which hid his copper locks. It was nice that someone worried about me.

"I'll be fine besides you're the one who can't stop shivering." He sat beside me and I realized how badly I was shivering.

"I g-guess I c-chose the wrong jacket." He sighed but smiled and he ruffled my hair.

"Yeah so why don't you tell me what led to you sitting out in this weather alone?" I was tempted to tell him nothing but I realized that I had wanted to talk to someone and he was always there for me.

"J-just the classic scene from elementary school." He shook his head at that.

"What happened between you three now?" He didn't even sound that surprised that it had something to do with Tadase and Ikuto then again he wasn't surprised by many of my troubles anymore.

"I was talking with Ikuto since he just got back in town, Tadase over reacted." He rolled his eyes.

"By now I would think he would stop running out before explanations, especial since you started to date him a year ago." He seemed a bit sad at the end but I brushed it off since I wasn't thinking the best at the moment, maybe the cold got to my brain.

"I guess he actually didn't over react but he could've let me explain." That drew his attention.

"What happened between you and Ikuto this time?" I sighed and placed a shaky hand over my mouth but it was hard to since my hand was a bit numb so I just let my hand fall back to my lap.

"Ikuto kissed me." His eyes went wide since that did surprise him.

"He did what!?" Kukai pretty much jumped up which made me jump since I hadn't expected that.

"I can't believe him!" Kukai crossed his arms and grumbled about something but I laughed slightly and that made him stop grumbling and smile.

"Why don't we head to that café you like? We can get you a hot chocolate to help warm you up." He held his hand out and I reached a shaky hand out and he grabbed it.

"I think a nice big hot chocolate will do you justice." He pulled me up and I stumbled but he didn't let me fall.

As we stood there with my head rested in his chest I couldn't help but close my eyes. I felt safe and he was so warm. It didn't seem like any of the stupid drama happened with me here in his arms. I smiled as I felt him tighten his grip ever so slightly.

"You know I'm always here for you right Amu?" I nodded my head slowly.

"Yeah I know." He really was a great friend.

"You know I read a quote somewhere from someone." I opened my eyes and pushed away from him a bit reluctantly but he didn't fully let me go.

"Probably from the internet." My eyes drooped slightly but I blinked to make them stop, maybe a nap would do me justice.

"I'll tell you 'bout it over hot chocolate k?" I nodded and we began to leave.

As I followed after him I stumbled a few times and I couldn't keep up with him and he glanced at me after the eleventh time I tripped. This one ended up with him having to catch me. He stared at me worriedly. I just placed my head on his chest when I was standing again.

"I'm sleepy Kukai." He seemed to go stiff.

"Amu, how long were you out here before I came along." I closed my eyes and I tried to think.

"Maybe an hour maybe two, I don't know I can't remember." Kukai pushed me away by my shoulders jarring me out of the sleepiness slightly.

"What's wrong Kukai?" He just stared at me.

"Why am I so stupid?!" I was confused; I could understand why he was calling himself stupid.

"You're not stupid Kukai." Even if he had pushed me back slightly I rested my head on his chest again, I was sleepy and he just made me feel so safe.

"I'm the stupid one." He tightened his grip on my shoulders slightly.

"Come on we need to get you warm." He was going to push me back again but my legs gave out and I nearly dropped to the ground but he kept me up.

"Amu, listen to me." I looked at him as he shoved his hand into his pants pocket for some reason.

"Hm?" I tried to listen but I was getting closer to falling asleep.

"You can't fall asleep." I closed my eyes and it seemed like the second I did I was out.

~Kukai's P.O.V~

I was careful as I crouched and cradled her against me. She was so pale and I felt so stupid. Why didn't I realize anything that was going on with her! I didn't even think about it. Just as I pulled out my phone and called the hospital my heart clenched, her breathing was getting shallower by the minute.

**Operator:** How may I help?

My voice caught in my throat, I really felt stupid that I hadn't realized it sooner.

**Kukai:** I need an ambulance to the park that is by Seiyo Academy, my friend, I'm pretty sure she has hypothermia.

I felt stupid for not realizing it before now. I wanted to help her but I didn't realize the one thing that was so important. Yes her boy problems were serious, to her at least but her life was more important to me. Was it wrong that I was glad that maybe Tadase and Ikuto screwed up with their chance with her? Was it wrong that I fell in love with her?

**Operator:** They're on their way, what is her currently condition sir?

**Kukai:** She fell unconscious a couple of minutes ago, her breathing is getting weaker by the minute.

I was scared. Would I lose her? This was my fault; I didn't even realize that she was sick. To be this close she had to be out here for _hours_. Just how long had she been out alone, crying? I bit my lip as I felt tears sting my eyes, I couldn't cry right now. I had to be strong.

**Operator:** Where within the park are you and her sir?

**Kukai:** By the Cherry Blossoms.

My lip trembled slightly and I bit my lip harder. I never cried but now it was so hard not to cry. Every time I helped with her boy trouble it hurt since I loved her but as long as she was happy then I was happy. As long as she lives through this I don't care if we just stayed friends forever. The operator asked me more questions but I wasn't really paying attention. By the time they arrive I was getting cold myself but it was nowhere close to more than a bad chill.

They took her to the hospital in an ambulance and I rode with her. I had hung up and I was tempted to call her parents but I don't think I would be able to tell them what happened. I don't think I could handle admitting what could actually happen to her. On the ride there I held her freezing hand in mine; it was getting warmer which I took as a good sign. It gave me a small bit of hope. I just had to have faith that she would make it.


	2. Chapter 2: The Others Find Out

Ok so originally it was only going to be one chapter but I'll continue it, I can't promise I'll update regularly since this will be a second priority story. I can't promise it'll be that good either. I also can't promise it'll be long but I'll at least attempt to continue it. Also keep in mind this is three and half/four years after the anime/manga so yes some people are a bit different in personality but there won't be huge flips in characters and I'll try my best to keep the lovable parts of their personalities in but adjust them to at least fit their age to a degree. **[This also has a slightly change to it, it should only be grammar and spelling too.]**

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**Chapter Two:** The Others Find Out

[Kukai's P.O.V]

I sat at the lunch table strumming my fingers on the table top. I didn't have a problem sitting here before but now I was just seriously annoyed at both Tadase and Ikuto so having Tadase sitting by me wasn't really pleasant. The way that Tadase and Ikuto treated Amu was just plain annoying. They treated her like she had been some kind of prize; they had tried to one up each other not really seeming to realize what it was doing to her.

"What's wrong, you're unusually quiet Kukai?" I looked at Nagi, he's the first who noticed my change in attitude today well minus one of the friends I had outside of the former guardians.

"Something happened over the weekend; put me in a mixture of anger and sadness." I didn't know how I could be angry and sad at the same time.

One thing that I was grateful for was that the anger, well more like annoyance, that is directed at Tadase and Ikuto has kept me from breaking down to badly and not at all at school but when I was alone was a different story. I sighed and bit my lip, I also still felt rather guilty for completely missing such a critical thing. It was partially my fault for what happened, when I saw her shivering so badly I should've ushered her to the café and then started to talk to her.

"What happened?" I looked at Tadase when he spoke and took a deep breath, it was best not to cause a scene in the middle of the lunchroom.

I wanted to tell him so maybe he would actually regret not letting her explain. Is it sad that I actually want one of my friends to hurt? I was surprised that no one had even questioned where Amu was, I really was.

"Does it deal with why Amu's not here? I called her house this morning but her parents just said that she wouldn't be in school." I bit my lip hearing that, I guess they didn't want people to know what happened to Amu.

"Sort of." I gulped; I really didn't want to talk about what happened yet.

"You know what happened then." Nagi and Rima looked at Tadase, he sounded a bit guilty at that which made me feel a bit better.

"Know what?" Nagi and Amu were close, they might as well be siblings they've been that way since he told her about him being Nadeshiko.

"Ikuto's back in town." It wasn't too surprising to them, he came and went at times but he was here often since his father was back but he was now trying to be a violinist.

"What did he do now?" Rima narrowed her eyes.

She really didn't like what they did to her like I did; it was something that we found as common ground. At first she didn't like how close Amu and I was, said that Amu was her best friend but then when it came to a certain day we ended up working together to sabotage Ikuto and Tadase. They never found out that it was us but it was a common ground that helped us actually become friends instead of just friendly acquaintances.

"Well she was late for our date so I went to her house to see if she was ok, they were in her room and when I looked in he was kissing her." They didn't seem too surprised after all they knew that Amu held some kind of feelings for Ikuto.

"Why were they kissing?" Nagi was a bit hesitant but when he shrugged I glared at the table and Rima glared at him.

"You left before she could explain didn't you." Tadase bit his lip and scratched the back of his head.

"Well you see what happened was." He flinched as he stopped talking and grabbed his shin; Rima probably had kicked him which nearly made me laugh.

"Save it, what do you know Kukai?" I just shook my head.

"After school." The moment the words left my mouth it seemed to bring a heavy silence over the group.

"Kukai~ the teacher needs to see us." I nearly jumped when she popped up.

I looked at her; she was the only other person who noticed my sour mood. Her sky blue hair was pulled into a messy ponytail and her bluish-green eyes clearly spelled that she had something planned. I sighed; she was one of my better friends. She was a childhood friend who moved away during the second grade and moved back during the ninth grade. She was the first and only person who even knew that I liked Amu.

"I'll see you guys later." I left the table after that.

"The teacher doesn't need us does he?" She looked at me and smiled.

"Nope, you looked like you were trying not to punch the whiny prince so I thought I would give you an excuse to leave with no questions asked." I just shook my head.

"Thanks Ciel." She laughed slightly but she did it at times when I called her by name.

Her name sounded different in Japanese than it did when her parents called her by her name, her father was French and her mother was American. Over the years she got used to the odd pronunciation by me and just told me to call her a Japanese Equivalent of her name, Sukai. Only I actually got to call her that but I still called her Ciel half the time.

"So can you tell me what's going on with your friend?" We were slowly walking back to class since lunch would end soon.

"I really don't want to talk about Amu Sukai." She sighed but she nodded.

"Ok, I guess I'm just worried. Either way I need to go now." I raised an eyebrow.

"I have to help out in the library remember?" I nodded even if I didn't remember, she left to the library and I sighed.

By the time class did start again I was just tired, I didn't want to deal with school anymore. All I wanted to do was leave. I couldn't wait until I could leave here but I guess I should tell them what happened to Amu. I closed my eyes and I bit my lip to keep myself from crying, it wasn't something I should be thinking about. Either I must've drifted off in my thoughts or time had gone faster than I thought because the teacher announced that class was over in what seemed like just moments.

I left the class room and headed to the gates where I knew they would wait for me but I still didn't feel ready to explain what had happened to them, I didn't know what would happen. By the time I reached the gate I was right to think that they were waiting for me but I noticed that Tadase looked a bit nervous almost scared of what I might tell them.

"So what happened to Amu?" I sighed at the question; straight to the point then again that's Rima for you.

"Yeah the way you left it made it sound like something bad happened to her." The hand that was in the pocket of my jacket I curled into a fist, the annoyance at Tadase tugged one way while the rather sad thought tugged me the other.

"Well I don't know what all happened but I found Amu at the park, she told me that Ikuto kissed her so it was more of a forced kissed at least from what I got." Tadase seemed like he had been angry at the forced part but then hurt at the thought that it might have been voluntary.

"Wait, she didn't tell you everything? She always tells you what happened when you two talk." Nagi was the first to latch onto that and I looked away from them, I tried not to cry.

I really hated how much it was making me want to cry since I hated crying. I just hated the whole messed up situation! It isn't fair. Amu was just trying to figure out her feelings it was Tadase and Ikuto who was forcing her along too fast. Always trying to one up each other or trying to make her choose. It was their fault that any of it even occurred. If it wasn't for Ikuto's actions or Tadase probably just running away like he usually does she never would've been in that park or froze half to death.

"I don't know the story of how she ended up at the park but she ended up in the park in the freezing cold for at least two hours with a thin jacket." That's when I saw Rima pale, as did Nagi, but Tadase seemed a bit confused.

"Ok but why wouldn't she tell you what happened?" I think I might've hit him had it not been for the gust of cold wind that made me remember Amu collapsing in my arms.

"She sat in the freezing cold for hours Tadase, ever heard of hypothermia?" The moment that I went sarcastic at the end, he took a step back probably sensing the bit of annoyance that I couldn't hold back.

"Is she ok?" Rima sounded afraid of what I might say; Nagi placed a hand on her shoulder.

"Skip ok, is she alive." I placed my hand on my forehead with my fingers in my hair, tugging on it slightly.

"She's alive thankfully but they were running some tests to make sure that everything is ok. Her family was nice enough to tell the doctors that they could tell me her condition considering I'm the only reason she's alive." That's the only comfort I got in this messed up situation, she's alive.


	3. Chapter 3: Hospital

So, when I first posted this story it was a one shot then turned into a chapter story due to request and well then it just fell off after Chapter Two. I can't tell you why besides I think I got sucked into my other story [Kari's Secret]. I will admit now almsot a whole year later the plot is different [I have no clue what my original intention for this story was since when I started this I never wrote down plots pretty much so yeah]. This will still be a second priority story but perhaps if enough people request it I'll bump it up to the same standing as Kari's Secret and attempt to update every other weekend [the opposite of Kari's Secret]. If no one seems that intrerested I'll try to update once a month or it might just fall off again. So I wanna apologize to anyone who was reading this.

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**Chapter Three:** Hospital

[Kukai's P.O.V]

The only comfort I got was that she's alive. I didn't know if anything was wrong with her or not. The tests would take a while and at this point they would have to keep her for a while at the hospital just to monitor her. She had slipped into a small coma in the hospital last night; they were alarmed but said hopefully she should be awake soon.

"What's going to happen to her?" I curled my hands into fists at Rima's worried question.

"I really wish I knew." I didn't know and that bothered me a lot.

"She's still in the hospital. She actually slipped into a coma." After I uttered the words my breath caught in my throat.

Rima and Nagi looked nearly horrified. Tadase just seemed blank; he didn't seem to know how to react. I gulped and tried hard not to cry. I didn't want to cry here at school. I didn't know what to say now. I wanted to go and check on her but at the same time I doubt that I could stand to go there only to find out bad news.

"Is she going to be ok?" Even if Tadase asked about her my anger flared up.

Maybe it was because I was confused and didn't know how to react but I was going to hit him. The reason why I stopped was because someone grabbed my wrist. The person stumbled but they managed to stop me. Once I realized what I had almost done I was surprised. I looked at who had stopped me and I got a nervous smile, bluish green eyes looked a bit worried.

"Hey now, take a deep breath, take things one step at a time Kukai." Her voice was soft but I did take a deep breath.

"Eh, who are you?" Ciel glanced at the confused Nagi, Rima was staring at her.

"Leon Ciel; I'm one of Kukai's friends." They seemed taken aback by her name but then again it did slip out in French, she had a bad habit of saying her name in French.

"You briefly met me at lunch." She dropped my arm and once she did so my arm dropped to my side.

"Oh, you're the girl from lunch." She nodded and she adjusted the hat that she wore.

"Yes, oh also Kukai sorry I know you said you didn't want to talk about it but I overheard you telling them." I sighed and my shoulders fell.

"It's fine." It's not like I wouldn't have told her at some point.

"It was nice meeting you three; I need to go now though." She gave a slight bow before she left.

I was grateful that she had showed up when she did. Even if Tadase was kind of at fault here it wasn't right to hit him. It wasn't right to take my anger out on him. I took a deep breath once again and closed my eyes. I need to calm down before something bad happens.

"Does she have to deal with why Utau dumped you?" I flinched when Tadase said that.

Oh I wish he didn't bring up Utau. I had told Amu why she had dumped well at least the reason that Utau had given to me when she broke it off. I knew Tadase might've been trying to change the subject but that was not a welcome change of subject. It was a subject that I wished would've been left alone in truth. I didn't want to even think about Utau at this point.

"Can we not talk about Utau?" I bit my lip from saying anything more.

"Are we allowed to see Amu?" I opened my eyes to look at Rima, she looked so worried.

"Technically no but her parents might be able to get you be able to see her, they got them to let me see her." I was allowed to see her then again one of the nurses that was looking after her knew that she had collapsed in front of me so that might be why but I didn't really care about the reason why, I was just glad that I could see her.

"I'm going to see her." I wasn't surprised at Rima declaring that or Nagi nodding.

"I was going to go so why not we go together." I muttered the words since I was worried about what information might await us when we arrive.

"It would probably be best that I don't go if her parents are there." I nodded at Tadase's words; it probably was for the best since they knew why she ran out and they were upset which was to be expected.

We split after that; Tadase went towards his house while Rima, Nagi, and I went to the hospital. Nagi held Rima's hand while I hung back so I was behind them. They didn't talk which told me just how worried they were. It wasn't often that they didn't talk to each other. They usually always could find something to talk about even if it's something trivial. Sometimes they got into arguments but those were never serious. I chewed on my lip as we grew closer.

"Do you think she'll be ok Kukai?" I didn't even care to look up when Nagi asked the question.

I didn't know what to say either. I wanted to say yes but a part of me was dwelling on the possibility of it being no. She was strong and she doesn't give up so she should hopefully survive. The doctors did say that her coming around would depend on her will and she was strong willed. Yet at the same time I noticed that something was wrong with her past couple of weeks. I didn't have a chance to talk to her so I didn't know what was going on.

"Hey, are you ok Kukai." I stopped when I bumped into Nagi; I hadn't even noticed that he had stopped walking.

"Kukai?" I felt bad for worrying both Nagi and Rima.

"It's nothing, I'm just tired." I lifted my head and I forced a small smile on my face.

"I just didn't sleep well last night since I'm worried about Amu." I had to keep the smile on my face for now.

I wasn't one who got down or upset easily. I didn't stay down or upset for long when I did. I also didn't look on the dark side most of the time. I didn't want to worry my friends so I should try to be strong at least until I'm alone. They would worry enough over Amu so I don't need to make them worry about me too.

"I've known you long enough to know you lied to us." I gave a weak laugh as my shoulders slumped.

"I'm fine really Nagi, I really am tired." He didn't seem to believe me while Rima didn't either but they didn't say anything.

"Yeah whatever you say Kukai." I sighed at Rima's words and started walking again with me staying a few steps behind them.

I noticed they were whispering about something this time. They had found something secretive to talk about. It didn't take more than ten minutes to reach the hospital. When we entered the hospital I welcomed the heat that they had. It was freezing out but it was better than yesterday, yesterday was the coldest day we've had for a while. I picked up my pace so I was ahead of them. I went to the nurse at the desk.

"How may I help you?" The nurse wasn't young but she wasn't old either.

"We would like to see Hinamori Amu." She quickly looked the name up on the computer and after a second she looked at me.

"It's family only currently, what's your name and relationship to Hinamori-san?" I sighed; I knew that was going to happen.

"Souma Kukai, I'm a close friend." She glanced at the computer.

"Her parents asked that you'd be allowed to visit her, Souma-san." I felt a bit happy at that so I smiled ever so slightly.

"What is the relationship that you two have to Hinamori-san?" She looked from me to Nagi and Rima who stood behind me.

"Mashiro Rima, I'm her best friend." Rima loved being able to claim herself as Amu's best friend.

"Fujisaki Nagihiko, I'm a close friend." Nagi long learned not to claim himself as a best friend within earshot of Rima.

"Sorry, you two can't go and see her." Nagi sighed but Rima groaned.

"She's my best friend and I want to see her." I sighed and shook my head; Rima wasn't going to let it drop since Amu was her first friend I think besides Kusukusu.

"I'm sorry Mashiro-san but rules are rules." Rima stomped her foot.

"Can you at least tell us how she's doing?" The nurse glanced at the computer but sighed.

"I'm not supposed but since I can tell Souma-san I can't help it if you two overhear." She gave a small smile and I nodded.

"I'd love to have an update then." She looked at her computer.

"She's doing quite fine currently; she has no frostbite and she should wake up soon. There is no indication that she should have any long term issues either." I let out a sigh of relief hearing that.

"She'll have to take it easy though for a while." She looked to us after she finished reading whatever was on the screen.

"Kukai, we're gonna go since we can visit her." I looked at Nagi and nodded.

"About earlier." He shook his head cutting me off patting my shoulder.

"It's fine, don't worry about it. Everyone has moments where they're overwhelmed; you're no exception of that." He left after that but before Rima caught up she patted my arm.

"You can go and see her." I nodded to the nurse and walked through the halls, I knew where her room was so I didn't have to ask for the room number.

When I got there I knocked the door, I waited for a few moments and the door slid open. I had to glance down to see who had opened the door. Ami stood there and she stared at me. She didn't look happy but I couldn't blame her. Ami looked up to Amu a lot so she was probably pretty worried.

"Kukai-niisan." I gave her the best smile that I could muster.

"Hey Ami-chan, are your parents here?" She shook her head and opened the door; I was a bit surprised to hear that they weren't here.

"Where are they?" I entered the room and closed the door behind me.

"Okaasan went to get dinner while otousan couldn't stay any longer." She looked away from me halfway through her sentence and looked at Amu.

Amu was breathing by herself which was a good sign. She seemed peaceful and as if she was just asleep. The room was a bit colder than the hallway but I guessed that was because it would pose a risk if Amu heated up to rapidly. Though I wasn't sure if that was why, it might just be that I'm still warming up from outside.

"Thank you Kukai-niisan." I looked at Ami confused.

"Why are you thanking me Ami-chan?" She looked at me; she had a smile on her face.

"If it wasn't for you then onee-chan could've been hurt worse." It took a lot not to let my smile falter; she didn't need to know that 'hurt worse' probably would've actually been death.

"Don't think about that, I just did what any friend would've done." She was seven almost eight and if her parents hadn't told her what could've happened I didn't want to be the one who told her what could've happened.

"Onee-chan is lucky to have such a good friend." I watched as Ami went to Amu's bed, I didn't move though.

I wasn't sure how I was a good friend. Yeah, I was there when she needed to talk but I barely talked to her in the past couple of weeks even in the past month or two. I noticed something was wrong but I hadn't asked her. I hadn't even thought about how cold it was yesterday and made her sit there in the freezing cold temperature even longer than she had.

"Ah, Kukai-niisan can you still see them?" I looked at Ami and hoped that I hadn't missed anything since I had zoned out slightly.

"See what Ami-chan?" She shifted on her feet.

"Shugo Charas." I sighed but I knew there was probably only one reason why she was asking that.

"Do you have an egg Ami-chan?" She nodded slowly.

It was a welcome change of topic albeit a sad one. I haven't seen Daichi in at least two years. He was still there though I knew that. I did my best to make sure that I never put an X on him even if he wasn't here, the Chairman did say it was possible to X our eggs still or even break them.


	4. Chapter 4: A Little Truth

**Chapter Four:** A Little Truth

[Kukai's P.O.V]

After the question she looked away from me and went back to staring at Amu. I couldn't tell if she was thinking about the question or she was just worried about Amu. As I watched her I noticed something. Maybe it was because of Amu but she seemed to have the same kind of look that Amu had weeks ago when she looked so miserable but I hadn't managed to find the time to ask her what was wrong.

"Do you want to talk about anything?" I felt guilty for not helping Amu but maybe I could help Ami.

"Do you think onee-chan would be angry if one of my eggs had an X?" She didn't have to say it for me to know.

"I think it would depend on the reason." Did Amu never tell Ami what happened to Dia?

I bit my lip as I thought back to that day. I still remember when she told me about Dia. It was right after I graduated from Elementary School, when Rima and Kairi came in but Nadeshiko also left. I thought back, comparing the way she looked then to the way she looked a couple weeks ago. Her Charas still existed but I think it might be related to the fact that she had gone to the Road of Stars to get them back.

"I think she would be angry if it was intentional or maybe if someone made it turn but in that case she would be angry at who did it but not angry with you." Ami didn't make any movement besides curling her hands into fists gripping the bedsheets tightly.

"What if it got an X before it hatched and before I knew what dream it was for?" For the briefest of seconds I had the urge to laugh.

Ami had a similar situation to Amu when Dia had an X. It took a while for Amu to realize what Dia represented and took her a while to get the X off of Dia too. I took a step towards Ami and placed my hand on her head. I can't help Amu any right now but I can help Ami. I looked at Amu and my stomach churned. She had to pull through. I wanted to sit by her side until she woke up but I couldn't do.

"I don't think Amu would be angry about that after all something similar to that happened to her." Ami looked up to me.

"It did?" I nodded and gave her the best smile I could muster.

"Yeah so she would probably understand actually." She nodded.

I expected her to turn back to Amu but she turned and she rested her head on my side. If it was hard on me I couldn't imagine how hard it was on Ami. Ami looked up to Amu and was really close to her. Things changed in the last three almost four years, they were close and Ami didn't bother Amu as much as Amu lets on any more then again I doubt Ami had bothered her as much as she said she did back then. They're siblings so they were bound to annoy each other but they also would stick together.

"Oh, Kukai-kun, it's a surprise to see you here." I turned my head to see Amu's mother.

"I didn't think you would come, you were pretty shaken the other day." She had been the first to arrive since Amu's father had been at work and Ami had actually gone with him to work.

She saw the mess I was the other day. I tried hard not to let anyone see it but I was crying and I could barely keep myself together. I was scared too. She was worried but there was little we could do and she surprised me by comforting me the other day even though she was worried about Amu.

"She's my friend." It was all that I could force out, a small part of me whispered that I liked her but I knew that I wouldn't get a chance because it probably would be either Tadase or Ikuto for her.

Even after what happened she wouldn't blame them for what happened. She would just blame herself for being stupid. It would take a while but she would probably forgive both Tadase and Ikuto for what happened. For once I wish she would just get angry and tell them to stop it. I doubt that they would stop until she chose.

"I know you like her much more than that Kukai-kun." I was surprised at Amu's mother's words while I glanced at Ami when she laughed slightly.

"Nii-san loves onee-chan." If Ami could tell then was it that obvious?

"Is it really that obvious?" I muttered the words as I looked from Ami to the floor.

"No, call it a mother's intuition or say I might've figured it out the other day in the waiting room." I nodded.

"Nii-san kissed onee-chan's forehead once, that's how I know!" My shoulders slumped slightly and a bit of heat rose to my cheeks at Ami's words; I thought no one had seen that!

"I gotta use the bathroom." Ami muttered the words as she suddenly started to rush to the bathroom that was in the hospital room and despite the current situation I could help but laugh slightly.

"How are you holding up Kukai?" I looked at their mother; she had taken a seat on the couch in the room.

She didn't wear the normal shirt and skirt outfit she wore any other time I had seen her. She wore a baggy shirt and pair of pants. Even if she had asked me a question she was looking at Amu. She looked terrified almost but that was expectable. I glanced at Amu, she still wasn't awake and she still seemed to be on the weaker side.

"I couldn't focus in school and I almost punched Tadase." There weren't many people that I could be honest with.

My brothers had been kind of supportive but they didn't understand. They thought I should be able to recover pretty quickly. They didn't think it should affect me. I knew why they thought that and I understood their point. Even if I understood it, it didn't make their point correct. Maybe it shouldn't bother me as much as it does but it does. There was nothing that would change it.

"Do you have anyone to talk to?" It was odd having her worry about me not to mention I thought her worry and focus would've been Amu.

"I have four older brothers." I guess the situation wasn't helped any by the fact that I loved Amu.

"Can you talk to them?" My hands slowly curled into fists.

"And don't lie to me either." I let the words die in my mouth, the door opened and Ami came out but instead of standing beside Amu's bed she sat by her mother.

"They don't think that this should bother me as bad as it does." I sighed and closed my eyes.

It also was too close to that day. A part of me was actually afraid. I didn't know what would happen and the possibility of her dying wouldn't leave me alone either. I opened my eyes after a few moments of silence. Amu's mother was just watching Amu while Ami had curled up against her mother's side. Ami looked like she was going to go sleep. There wasn't anything that I could do at the moment.

"Why?" I almost jumped at her mother suddenly speaking after letting it fall silent for a good ten minutes.

"I'd rather not talk about that." I was already fighting with those memories and I didn't want to give them an invitation to invade my mind any more than they already did.

"Kukai-kun, you know it helps to talk things out right?" I nodded; I knew that but there were things that I didn't want anyone to know.

"You helped my daughter a lot, you always listened to her complain." I shook my head quickly.

"I was just helping her one of the only ways I knew how to." I always helped my friends and when she started to become much more than a friend then it only grew stronger.

"Yeah and that's why if you need to talk then you can talk to me." I bit my lip to keep in the words that wanted to spill out of my mouth.

"It was nice talking to you Hinamori-san." I took a step back away from Amu's bed before turning so I faced the door.

"Where are you going now Kukai-niisan?" I glance at Ami and gave her the best smile I could muster, I even closed my eyes.

"It's my okaasan's birthday today; I need to go get something for her." I opened my eyes slightly, Ami seem satisfied and it seemed like Amu's mother believed me then again it wasn't exactly a lie.

"See you later Kukai-kun." I nodded, saying have a good day just didn't fit the occasion and I didn't want to stay any longer so I left.

I rushed through the hospital hallway. I wanted out; I couldn't be here any longer. I couldn't stay any longer and keep myself together. I curled my hands into fists as I shoved them into my pockets. I chewed on my lip as I made my way to a flower shop, I'd get my mother's favorite flowers for her. I've done it every year for her. My brothers didn't do anything for her birthday anymore but I always did. Once to the flower shop I went to the counter and waited for a few moments.

"Ah, what can I get for you?" I looked up a bit surprised.

It was rare but I had heard of the occasional male florist. I blinked seeing him; he stood out against the flowers that surrounded him. Black hair with dyed red strikes and eyes that were a lighter brown than usual; his black jacket stood out against the dirty green apron that he wore too. He narrowed his eyes after a few moments and I realized that I had stared. I gave a nervous laugh; he was probably around my age so maybe it was his family's shop?

"Do you have any white Winter Roses?" He thought and glanced over the shop before nodding.

"Yeah, picking up flowers for your girlfriend?" He sounded annoyed but I watched him as he navigated through different rows and plucked the last four white Winter Roses they had.

"No, they're actually for my mom." That seemed to ease the glare he had settled on me.

"That's nice." I pulled out my wallet and paid him the money.

"So, why the flowers?" I glanced from the flowers to him.

"It's her birthday." That was all I said before I tried to rush out.

"Yeah, have a good day too." He grumbled it but I ignored him.

I wasn't in the mood to deal with people. Especially people are going to try and pry about information. I navigated my way back to familiar roads and before long I ended up walking the semi familiar route. I didn't head home after all that wasn't where my mother was. After walking for a few moments I came to the fence and I slipped in, walking past various graves. I let my body move on autopilot as I made my way through the silent graveyard. It didn't take long before I stood in front of my mother's grave. I bent down and brushed some of the snow off of the grave.

"Happy Birthday okaasan, sorry I haven't come around for a while." I carefully laid the flowers beside the grave.

"It's been really busy lately." I didn't care that I would get cold; I sat down and crossed my legs.

"Last time I was here I mentioned my friend, Hinamori Amu. She got sick recently, she's in the hospital and the doctors say she'll make it depending on her will." I folded my hands in my lap and I looked up at the sky.

"Ciel's doing well too; she came for a visit didn't she though?" I glanced back to the grave, Snowdrop flowers sat by the grave which Ciel would often leave if she came by.

"My brothers don't think it shoulder bother me after what we went through years ago with you though. I don't exactly have people to lean on now like I did then though." The only one that stuck around me from back then was Ciel.

"Ciel's been pretty busy with her life too so I didn't want to burden her any so I haven't really relied on her much." I tilted my head back and closed my eyes.

"How are you and otousan doing up there okaasan?" I opened my eyes when cold wet flakes started to descend and land on my face.

I stared up at the sky as snow started to fall once more. This was the time of the year that I didn't like all that much. I did my best to keep busy but with what happened with Amu I can't focus. My mind is preoccupied with Amu and the constant battle with memories from years ago as well. Yet a whole bunch of bad situations pop into my head thanks to what else happened around this time in the past.

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Is anyone reading the story? If anyone actually likes it tell me and I'll try to update more often. [I like the story but since it seems like this isn't that popular I write and post this whenever I feel like but if people do like it and read it I'll update it and actually make it much more closer together.] Just tell me k?


	5. Chapter 5: Another Day

**Thank you to those that reviewed, favorited, and followed! It really makes my day when people do so, also makes me want to write more. So this is what I will say, I will try to update this whenever I can. I'll try to update more often as well.**

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**Chapter Five:** Another Day

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I sighed as I kicked the bucket over, the egg that I had chased around shot into the air. I managed to grab it quickly though. It struggled in my grasp but I held it a bit tighter but cautious. I didn't need to break this egg. This egg would be the key. This would prove my point and it would make them notice me.

"Stop trying to run, you'll only get yourself hurt if you keep trying to run." The egg stopped, almost as if it was afraid from how cold my voice had come out.

I loosened my grip and I got a better look at the egg now that it wasn't fighting me. The egg had turned black and had an X marring it. The egg looked like that perhaps without the X Mark it would a light pink and white checkered pattern with some kind of symbol, the symbol had the X over top of it so I couldn't see it. This would be my ticket to recognition, I would be noticed after this for sure. Perhaps even accepted after this.

"If you're good for me I won't let you get cracked." The egg quivered but my lips tilted upwards in a smirk.

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[Kukai's P.O.V]

I stared at the ceiling, another day. I didn't want to get out of bed. I didn't want to go to school either. I groaned and rolled over when I heard Kaidou yelling. I didn't want to deal with them right now. They were part of the reason why I didn't spend much time at home right now. Every year either this house got eerily silent or there were arguments breaking out constantly, usually over the stupidest things. I sighed and felt my nightstand for my phone when it started to ring, after find it I opened it and put it to my ear.

"Who is it?" I knew my voice was slightly muffled since I had fully turned over.

"_I was calling to see if you're coming or not._" I rolled over onto my back, it was Ciel.

"I don't wanna go to school Ciel." I heard her sigh.

"_I get that Kukai but, why not come anyways? We both we don't deal well with things when we sit around with nothing to occupy our minds._" I closed my eyes, she knew me a bit too well.

"What do I get if I go?" I knew I was being a bit childish but Ciel was the few who I got to joke with like this, she's known me for years.

"_Well, you wouldn't have to listen to your brothers argue and I'll split my lunch with you. How does that sound?_" I opened my eyes, glancing at my door.

"They're not loud enough you should be able to hear them on the phone." How'd she know they were arguing?

"_I'm outside waiting you, so hurry up and give me an answer because it's cold out here Kukai._" I sighed, of course she would be out there waiting.

"I'm coming, I'll be down in a minute." I hung up and sat my phone down.

As I took off my pajama's I couldn't help but glance in the mirror. The small scar on my side stood out, it was a memory of that day years ago. I placed my hand over it, I could still hear my mother crying at times when it was close to that day. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath before letting it out. I quickly put on the school uniform which consisted of black slacks and the usual white undershirt, the blazer was black but the tie was a soft blue. I grabbed my phone and bag before leaving my room quickly.

"So you're actually going to school today huh loser?" I bit my lip, Kaidou was drunk already this early in the morning but it was nothing new this time of the year.

"Yeah, I need to hurry." I rushed passed him and put my shoes and coat on in record time.

"Why are you in such a rush lil' bro?" I glanced at Unkai over my shoulder.

"Ciel's waiting." He grinned and I turned away, he started to laugh and I bit back any words that would've come.

"I don't see how you two are just friends, if I was you I would've been with her long ago." I opened the door and slammed it behind me at Rento's comment.

They had commented on Ciel and my friendship before, their cruder thoughts appearing around this time of the year. No matter the kindness she showed to us back then they still treated her a bit harsh during this time of the year. I also didn't like the fact that Rento was sort of a creep and almost seemed like he had a thing for her. I was just glad she was too young for him or the shit he'd try would be enough to send me over the edge. Rento might be odd but he had a rather interesting side that was close to as innocent as a playboy could get.

"Let's go." I didn't spare a glance at Ciel who leaned on the wall, I just sped past her.

"Which one of them pissed you off now?" She easily caught up with me, she could keep pace with me pretty easy.

"Rento." She sighed and shook her head.

"He and Kaidou seem to be the two that make you angry the most." I nodded and sighed.

Ciel made me slowdown from my near jogging pace when she grabbed my hand. Her hand was cold, of course she wasn't wearing gloves. I squeezed her hand before removing my hand peeled off my gloves. I nearly shoved them at her, if I could feel her ice cubes through my gloves she needed them more than me.

"Why don't you ever wear gloves Ciel?" I glanced at her, she took my gloves and slipped them on even though they were a bit big on her small hands.

"I don't own any, you know how it is for me." She gave a sad smile and I looked away.

"How's life been recently?" Ciel worked hard, she had to provide for herself since two years ago.

"Easier than it was, one of his friends hired me at his shop. It was a last resort, I didn't want to use any connections but I have to work and I wasn't going to beg anyone. I had just gone in for the hot chocolate he gives me for free when he told me he needed another server, he gave it to me with no interview though so I knew what his intentions were." I nodded, one of her father's friends owned a pastry shop well it was half pastry shop half café.

"That's good." Ciel had quit her last job because her boss tried to take advantage of her, either she did what he wanted or he would fire her yet instead of either she quit and walked away.

"You went by okaasan's grave recently?" I glance at her in time to see her nod.

"Yeah, just the other day actually. How you holding up?" I shoved my hands into my pockets and shrugged.

"I'm surviving." I couldn't say I was doing well but I couldn't say I was doing badly either, I was somewhere in the middle.

"Sometimes that's the best we can do but Kukai, talk to me if you need to." I shook my head, she had enough to deal with.

"You have enough on your plate already." I stumbled slightly and rubbed my back, Ciel packed a mean punch.

"Don't give me that crap Kukai. Yes I might have stuff going on but so do you, we made a promise that day didn't we?" I looked her, she had her hands on her hips and her blue green eyes looked darker now.

"We'd always be there for each other, thick and thin." She nodded when I spoke the promise.

"You know I hate talking about everything but I talk to you even when all I want to do is curl up in a ball and vanish." She always felt like she was burdening people whenever she talked about her problems so she didn't usually.

"You don't get to withdraw on me again Kukai, it was bad enough that day back in first grade when it first happened. You pulled back and you saw what happened, I went crazy and I thought I hurt you since you kept yelling at me to leave you alone. I had to find out through your brother, Rento out of all of your brothers at that!" I sighed, I shouldn't have touched that one nerve that could still fire her up and make her angry.

"Sorry, ok I'll talk if I need to." She looked me over with a critical gaze before nodding.

"Good, now spill the freaking beans about why the hell you nearly punched the whiney prince in the face. Even if I don't care about him all that much he's your best friend after me." I wasn't sure if I could really call Ciel just a simple _best friend_.

"I got bits and pieces yesterday, something happened to Hinamori Amu and she's in the hospital then you go and end up almost hitting him." I scratched the back of my head, Ciel really was probing when she wanted to be.

"He and another boy have a competition over her, they go back and forth trying to one up the other. Tadase ran out when he saw her and the other boy kissing and didn't bother to let her explain. She ended in the cold and nearly froze to death, she's in a coma now thanks to him and the other boy." She moved her arms so they were crossed and she sighed.

"Why are all boys so pig headed?" I narrowed my eyes at her, she flashed me a grin.

"Not you of course, you're pretty good for a guy I guess but you are on the stubborn side. That's a good thing though." I shook my head and ran my fingers through my hair.

"That hurts." She shrugged and began walking again.

"If that hurts then don't break when I beat you to school." Her eyes held the challenge when she glanced back.

"Oh, it's on." I knew what she was doing and I let it happen.

We both took off running, racing to see who would reach school first. We used to do it all the time when we were younger. As we ran I realized that she had gotten faster since we last raced, it wasn't as easy as it had been before. She was shorter so I used to win thanks to my legs being longer but that wasn't the case anymore. It didn't take more than five minutes for us to reach the gate, she finally beat me for a change.

"You won." I panted slightly out of breath.

"Yes, I finally beat you!" She threw her hands up in the air with a wide grin on her face.

I couldn't help the smile that stretched across my face. How long has it been since I saw Ciel so happy? Ciel usually looked like she was taking the world on by herself, so alone and far to grown up for senior in High School. Half of what our peers took for granted Ciel was lucky to have if she even had it. Ciel's smile vanished as quickly as it appeared though sadly. Whispers filled my ears, not of it being nice either.

_Why is the freak so happy?_

_Why did she even show up today?_

_Doesn't she have something better to do?_

_Why is Kukai even with her?_

_She should just go back to the hole she crawled out of._

Ciel closed her eyes and curled her hands into fists as more and more not so much whispers reached us. She once told me she was bullied but I hadn't thought it went that far. Ciel was, different to say the least. Ciel's father was French and her mother American, she grew up in America before she moved here to Japan in Kindergarten. Even if she was young it was enough that she carried a different air about her, even now she'd slip at times and call people by their first name.

"Leave her the hell alone, none of you know her so stop judging her!" I snapped and it made everyone silent, Ciel stared at me with wide eyes.

I wasn't in the mood to deal with people like them. Ciel was my best friend, she knew everything about me. Ciel might as well be my sister in truth; that was how close we were. She saw me as her brother too, we've just been that pillar for each other.

"Kukai, don't!" I looked Ciel a bit surprised.

"It's fine, just leave them alone. You'll only get dragged down too." When she said that last bit it rung in my head, that's why.

"That's why you stopped hanging out with me at school." She just stopped eating lunch with me suddenly a year and half ago, she suddenly was always busy in the library helping out whenever we had a break.

"Its fine Kukai, I'm used to it by now." She gave a pained smile but I narrowed my eyes.

"It's far from fine Ciel. If you want me to tell you things then you got to stand up for yourself, you have enough bullies in your life without these people." Her smile faltered, her eyes had a flash of pain and she bit her lip to stop a tremble.

"Standing up only makes it worse Kukai, something I learned over the years." She turned after saying those words and was quick to flee all of the stares and whispers.

This was the price she paid. This is what she's forced to suffer through every day at school before having to run to her job just so she could make money to live. She woke up early and stayed up late, I knew her schedule by now but there are things she hadn't told me. She never told me how bad the bullying was and it irked me knowing how bad it was. It wasn't a good time for people to get on my bad side. Between bitter memories, Amu's condition, and dealing with what else came with what happened to Amu left me having little to no outlet for anything.


	6. Chapter 6: Rumors

It's a bit awkward, I'm not going to lie. Forgive if it seems a bit odd or rushed. I hope you guys still like it though. I tried my best.

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**Chapter Six:** Rumors

[Kukai's P.O.V]

It took everything for me not scream by the time lunch came around. So many rumors were flying about now. So many rumors about Ciel and I. I think I've heard it all now. I've heard the wild speculations of how Ciel and I knew each other and what our connection was; rumors from innocent childhood friendship to wild secret romance that contained more wild speculations than I cared for. They were starting to grate me and oh, the girls that wouldn't leave me alone were getting on my nerves!

I bit my lip to keep myself from screaming or growling at the horde of girls that surrounded me currently. I wanted to get to the lunch room. I wanted to just have my lunch in peace but these girls wouldn't even let me get five steps from the class room. This was the one pain of being popular. I never cared for popularity before and now it was really starting to make me hate it.

"Move." The one word made all the girls freeze, the voice was cold.

I looked to find who had spoken because they sounded either deathly pissed or just the normal ice cold jerk. I was surprised when my eyes settled on the boy from the flower shop. His uniform was messy, his shirt wasn't fully buttoned and it was only half tucked into his pants. His black hair was wild; the red streaks seemed a bit more off putting now than in the flower shop. It didn't help that his unusually light brown eyes looked so cold and deadly.

"I-it's Thorne." One of the girls whispered it and his eyes snapped to the girl and she squealed before she scrambled, the rest of the girls quickly followed.

"So you're Souma Kukai, I though you looked familiar." A smirk slowly appeared on his face as he put his hands in his pockets.

"You're the center of some very nasty rumors, heh good to know even the popular crowd can suffer those harsh rumors too." I narrowed my eyes at him slightly, something wasn't right him or maybe it was his words that just continued to grate me the wrong way.

"Yeah well, so are you." I heard rumors about him but I never paid any mind to them, especially since I had never even met him.

"Though one word of warning, don't get to close now or you'll be dragged down." He turned and began to walk away.

"What do you mean?" He gave a low laugh and shrugged.

"Don't know, how about the popular boy think about it? Maybe you can figure it out if you actually think about it." I growled, yelp he was one of those jerks that I couldn't stand usually.

I took a few seconds to breathe so I could calm down before heading towards the lunch room. I would get to relax and have lunch with Ciel for a change. She even said she'd give me half of her lunch this morning, something I hoped she had seriously meant. Ciel was the best cook that I knew so whenever I had the chance I always snagged a piece of whatever she made.

"Wanna explain some things?" I looked at Nagi who appeared the moment I entered the lunch room, he was already pulling me towards our normal table.

"Like what?" I had a feeling it dealt with the rumors.

"Like how you know Leon Ciel." I sighed hearing Rima say it, yelp they heard the rumors too and they wanted to know.

"Why does it matter?" They didn't even know her and it wasn't like she was a bad kid or anyone that they would have to worry about.

"Because of who her mother is." I froze hearing Tadase's voice, it was unusually cold.

Shit they found out. It was something that I had consciously kept from them. In truth it was the reason why I thought Ciel started to avoid me during school. She knew that once my group found out then a lot of trouble would start. Ciel got the unlucky life, in a way she was kind of like Ikuto in a respect. Her mother was related to a company like Easter.

"You found out huh?" I scratched the back of my head, nervous suddenly.

She didn't want anything about her family in school. Her file was locked to anyone besides teacher and sadly my group. The Guardians still existed in a way, the High School had a group that was exactly like the Guardians but was now some fancy council. Character Council, a group that I wasn't a part of because I had enough of the paperwork and stuff back in Elementary School but I would still help out at times. It's been shaky since Daichi vanished though. I wasn't sure if Daichi went back into my heart or not, at times it felt like he was still out and something bad happened other times it felt like he was in my heart.

I could still see Shugo Charas though. Kiseki, Rhythm, Temari, and Kusukusu have yet to vanish so they were pretty close to everything that happened around Shugo Charas and X Eggs still. The fact that I could still see Shugo Charas did bother me at times, usually the times when I thought I still felt Daichi. Tadase was the head of the council, he had access to most things yet again. Sadly that also meant Ciel's file that she never wanted anyone to see.

"You read her file." Tadase nodded.

"Why didn't you tell us Kukai?" I crossed my arms and looked around, no one was paying attention and I couldn't see Ciel anywhere.

"She doesn't want anything about her family in school." I wasn't about to break her trust and tell people about that besides I wouldn't dare do that too her because I knew how rocky it was with her when it came to her family life.

"It doesn't matter Kukai, she's related to-" He stopped mid-sentence and the lunch room went dead silent when I slammed my hands onto the table top.

"Listen to me now Tadase. You're already pushing your luck because of what happened with Amu, don't push me any more especially with either Amu or Ciel. I'm being as civil as I can be, even I have a breaking point and you should know what's coming up. You know I have a foul temper around this time of the year." Tadase gulped, rarely was I like this but today wasn't the day.

"The anniversary of your parents' death." His words were low, he found out during my last year of Elementary School by accident.

Actually I wasn't sure if it was an accident. Something was bothering me one day and since I wouldn't talk he peeked at my file since he was worried about me, even if he promised me he would never look at my file. I forgave him for that because he was worried. I didn't want pity about my parents though.

"Ciel's been through thick and thin with me, no matter how far she moved. You're my friend so I don't want to hurt you but you saw what happened yesterday. My temper snapped yesterday and I almost hit you, it would be far too easy to lose my temper again thanks to the shit that's going on." I stood up and I saw the slight bit of fear in Tadase's eyes.

"If you want to know then ask Ciel but I doubt she'll tell you, it took her a long time to tell me and I've known her since kindergarten." Ciel was a closed off person by now.

I scanned the lunchroom once more but Ciel wasn't present so I turned on me heel and left. I knew where Ciel would be if she wasn't in the lunchroom. Since it was still early in lunch she wouldn't be in the library because she wouldn't have eaten yet. As I thought I found her in one of the old hallways, a hallway that no one ever went to since it was supposedly haunted. This part of the school was shut down years ago for some reason, it was probably because of the fact that there still some damage from a storm years ago.

"Found you Ciel." She looked up, she gave a small smile.

"You're not afraid of the ghost?" I shook my head and sat beside her.

"Nah, I got over being afraid of ghosts in the third grade." She smiled bigger now.

"That's good to hear since I'm pretty sure there is a ghost here." I tensed slightly and glanced at her.

"You're kidding right?" She shrugged.

"Shouldn't matter though since you're not afraid right?" I relaxed slowly.

"Yeah, besides if the ghost can stand you I'm pretty sure I'm safe." She shot me playful glare.

"For that you get none of my lunch." She picked up the chopsticks and was about to dig into the half that was left, how she ate so fast I wasn't sure.

"Aw come on, you know I was on-" I nearly choked when she shoved the bite in my mouth.

I coughed a few times since I swallowed wrong. I hit my chest once before taking a deep breath. She grinned and held out the container to me. I should've seen that coming actually. I really should've seen that coming since it wasn't the first time she's done that. I took the container and began to eat, glancing at the book she had rested in her lap.

"What's that?" She glanced at the book before shrugging and leaning back.

"A recipe book, Mura-san is going on leave soon since his wife is about to have their first kid. He doesn't trust anyone else to cook, he wants me to memorize the recipes by the end of the week." I nodded and I knew that by the end of the week she'd have something new for me to try.

"You heard the rumors didn't you Kukai?" I nodded, I had hoped she wouldn't bring up any of the rumors.

"I hoped you wouldn't bring them up." She looked at me, a look that practically screamed 'I-told-you-so'.

"You shouldn't have said anything." I glanced at the window, I should warn her.

"Tadase knows by the way." I looked at her after a few moments, she was stiff and ramrod straight.

"Knows, as in knows what?" She already had a knowing look but she didn't want to believe it.

"About your mother being the owner and founder of Midnight Industry." She sat there for a while after my words, I wasn't half as hungry as I had been before I went to the lunch room.

She sat there, deathly still. She had tried hard to keep it out of school. She never wanted anyone to know. It was only a matter of time before it spread around the school because it would only take one wrong person to hear. After that her other secret was bound to come tumbling out too. Once things came out there was no taking it back and things would probably only be worse for her.

"They know about Midnight being the cause of the spike in X Eggs and X Charas don't they?" I placed a hand on her head.

"Yeah, they know." Her shoulders only gave a small tremble.

"My file has that big old sticky note that says 'Private – Administration Only'. He shouldn't have looked after seeing that." She turned just a little, she rested her head on my shoulder; my hand slipped from her head to around her shoulders.

Anything I was going to say was cut off by my phone. I am so glad its lunch since I forgot to turn it on silent. Ciel pulled back and I pulled out my phone. I was surprised to see the number, it was Amu. Did she wake up? I smiled as that hope bubbled up. I answered it quickly.

"Amu?" I glanced at Ciel she just went back to studying the recipe book, her left hand was curled into a fist though and that was the only sign that something bothered her.

"_Ah sorry Kukai-kun, it's not Amu. I didn't have your number so I borrowed her phone_." Ouch, my hope crashed and all kind of bad thoughts came rushing in, it was Amu's mother.

"Oh, what's up?" Ciel glanced at me, despite her own issues I saw worry in her eyes.

"_Don't sound so defeated, I got good news._" I waited for it but I heard some kind of shift and a muffled voice say something.

"_Hey Kukai, heard you've been worried._" My eyes widened, _that_ was Amu.

"You're awake!" It took everything not to shout, she was awake.

"_Yeah, I'm awake but I'm sleepy. Heh, you're probably at school. Hope I didn't get you in trouble._" I laughed slightly, Amu didn't seem bothered by why happened but I knew she probably hadn't been up long from the drowsiness of her voice so she might not fully realize everything just yet.

"No, I was just having lunch with Ciel back in the haunted hallway." I heard a strange noise from her.

"_Ciel? Leon Ciel? The one from class 3-4?_" I blinked and glanced at Ciel, did she know Amu?

"Yeah, that Ciel why?" I watched a bit confused as red began to tint Ciel's cheeks and she scratched her cheek and looked away.

"_Let me talk to her please~!_" I wanted to continue to talk to her but I couldn't say no; I placed my phone to Ciel's ear.

"Hey Amu-chan, heard what happened. What happened to being angry at me and not wanting to talk to me?" I was surprised by the slightly teasing tone that laced Ciel's voice, I heard Amu shout something but I couldn't make out what she said.

"Yes, yes I know that was years ago back in Elementary School. No that isn't why I didn't approach you, geez calm down. I've been dealing with some things recently Amu-chan. Fine, yes I'll come over for dinner." Ciel and Amu knew each other huh?

"She wants to talk to you again." I moved my phone and placed it back to my ear.

"So you know Ciel huh Amu?" I heard her make a sound, kind of like a 'yea' but crossed with a yawn.

"_We went to Elementary School together after she transferred in during her second grade year, she's the best sempai I could've asked for after you. Mom wants you to come over for dinner too._" I could hear it in her voice, she was starting to doze off.

"I'll be there." I wouldn't decline after all I didn't feel like dealing with my brothers.

"_Good, make sure Ciel comes too. She hasn't been around the house yet to show her please? Night._" I smiled.

"Night." I heard another shift, probably her mother pulling her phone back.

"_See you tonight, now get off before you get in trouble._" She went back to mother mode at the end.

"Hai, see you tonight Hinamori-san." I hung up after that and leaned back.

"She's awake Ciel." I looked at Ciel and found a soft smile was on her face.

"Yeah, she's awake Kukai." The smile she gave was real but there was a look in her eyes.

"What's up Ciel?" She looked out the window.

"Can you forgive me for never telling you something?" A bit of my happiness slipped away.

"Why do you ask?" She closed the book and slowly relaxed from sitting straight.

"I couldn't bring myself to tell you something." She was starting to worry me now.

"_**All students please report to your class rooms immediately. Please, I repeat all students report to your class rooms immediately.**_" She looked at me, her eyes were wide.

We would only be sent back if something bad happened. She grabbed her stuff quickly and we left. We had to be careful as we left the hallway since it was off limits, we could be suspended for even having been there. As we entered a hallway with others we both froze, the whispers reached our ears.

_Did you hear they knew each other?_

_Some say they were childhood friends._

_No, I heard they were dating._

_Where did you hear that? I heard they were just friends that had __**fun**__._

That was just the whisper of four girls. They weren't even some of the worse rumors. More and more whispers reached our ears, getting worse and worse by the passing second. I was about to lose it when I heard some boy remark about what we must've been doing. I was going to say something, what would've come out I didn't know. The words died in my mouth though.

"Enough of these stupid rumors!" Ciel nearly screamed the words at the top of her lungs, tears streaked down her face surprising a lot of people.

Ciel was generally closed off at school. No one saw much emotion from her, most just overlooked her unless it was her bullies. There was one thing though no one had ever seen. Ciel's cracked a few rare smiles at times and even let others catch glimpses of the real her at times. Never has she cried in school though. For as long as I've known her she's never cried in school but one time, that one time being the day that her life forever changed for her.

"I get I'm silent, I get I'm the awkward kid but just _stop_. None of you know me at all so just stop." If I hadn't known her for so long I wouldn't have known it, Ciel was nearly begging.

"We're childhood friends who met in Kindergarten." I threw it out there, just hoping some of the rumors would calm down.

I eyed Ciel though as I spoke. I was worried about her now. The fact that she let tears slip here at school meant that she was tired. She was losing her tight grip on the mask she wore in front of everyone. I grabbed her hand and slowly started to pull her along, leading her towards her class room. I would take the detention for being late if need be. Ciel followed along with her head hung, her hair was down so it slipped over her shoulders and hid her face from sight. She held my hand tightly, her hand trembled slightly.


	7. Chapter 7: The Visit Pt 1

**Semi regular update!** So, yeah I don't know. Does anyone mind that I kind of made this a story that isn't just going throw them together? Not to mention that it isn't just exactly completely focused on the throwing of them together?

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**Chapter Seven:** Visit [Pt. 1]

I leaned on the gate waiting for Ciel to come. It was probably for the best that I wasn't around Tadase and the others right now. They're going to take the whole connection to Midnight too far. I knew they were going to. It was only two days to the anniversary for my parents' death; they've been dead now for almost eleven years. Maybe most people wouldn't be as affected by it but I was still a child when it happened so I was scarred a bit worse than it had scarred my brothers since they had been older. It didn't help any that I've had to sit through Parent's Day after Parent's Day making up some reason why my parents were present.

"Kukai, can we talk." I looked up from the snow covered ground, Tadase stood in front me.

His voice had been muffled since he had his face buried in his scarf. It was cold out today. I flexed my hands a bit in my pockets since Ciel still had my gloves. I had another pair at home so I wouldn't press to get them back since she admitted she didn't have any.

"Sure, why not." He shifted on his feet, nervous slightly.

"About what happened at lunch, I'm sorry. I should've known better than to snoop around like that." I was a bit surprised by him apologizing but I shook my head.

"Apologize to Ciel, not me. It's her privacy that you invaded not mine." I looked away from him, scanning the crowd for Ciel.

"That's the thing; Leon-san doesn't exactly like me. She's kind of been a bit cold to me since I first met her." I couldn't help the slight laugh.

"That's the thing; she's cold to mostly everyone at school Tadase." I looked back to him, he looked a bit surprised.

"She used to be really open and friendly but a lot of kids used her or bullied her. Ciel gave up, as she put it, 'making friends with immature children who take their blessings for granted'. You don't know Ciel so you don't how she lives." Tadase looked confused now.

"Just because of whom my mother is doesn't mean that life is easy." Tadase jumped and I looked at Ciel, I was surprised she said that to him.

"Easiest way I can say this Hotori-kun is if you don't cross me I won't do anything. In truth even if you did something I still probably wouldn't do anything. I'm not some puppet to my mother; _that_ I can promise you." I narrowed my eyes when I noticed it.

I barely thought about it before I reached and brushed away her hair from her face. On the cheek that had been hidden by her hair was an angry red mark, it looked like someone had slapped her. I frowned when I saw the mark, a bruise was forming somewhat. There was even a slight cut on her cheek. She gave a small smile to me.

"One of your fan girls, they didn't really appreciate how close we are." I groaned.

"We're practically siblings." She shrugged.

"They don't believe that, you know most of these immature brats don't get the fact that boys and girls can truly just be _friends_." Tadase gave her a look and she shot him a look.

"We should be going Kukai; we both know that it won't just be dinner since we haven't gotten to hang out in a while." I noticed that she did it on purpose; she purposefully didn't say that Amu woke up in front of Tadase.

While yes a part of me actually felt bad for not telling him since he was also Amu's friend but I mostly didn't care. He was at fault here, when would he ever grow up? I sighed at the thought; Ciel's rubbing off on me slightly.

"Where are you two going?" I watched Ciel lean so her mouth was closer to Tadase's ear since she was a bit taller, probably only because Tadase's a year younger than us.

She must've said something because Tadase's eyes went wide and he paled. His shoulders shook and I saw his eyes suddenly filled with fear. What did she just tell him? I had never seen Tadase look so afraid.

"I g-got to g-go." Tadase barely stuttered the words out before he turned and fled, going back to the school but I remember him saying there had been a meeting for the council.

"What did you just tell him?" Ciel looked at me and gave a sweet smile, one that said that she had just threatened him somehow but yet not directly.

"I just told him that Alek was looking for him, Alek asked me in class if I knew where he was since I'm friends with you and it's pretty well known that you and Hotori-kun are friends." I raised an eyebrow; I didn't know anyone named 'Alek'.

"Who's Alek?" She shook her head.

"You wouldn't know him; he's kinda closed off like me. We talk at times since he's also from America so we get along; while we're not friends we talk." She shifted her bag and she pulled out my gloves, offering them to me.

"Forget to give these back this morning." I shook my head and she blinked.

"Keep 'em, I have a new pair at home and they were getting a bit small any ways." I knew better than to tell her just to have them because I didn't need them, if she felt like it was out of pity she would reject or maybe even get annoyed.

"You sure that I can have them, Kukai?" I nodded.

"Yeah, besides you're always saying my hands are always warm." She rolled her eyes as she slipped the gloves on and began walking past me.

"Hurry up because frankly I'm done with school for the day." I caught up and nodded.

"Yeah, also Ciel I probably won't come two days from now." There was no way I could sit through school.

"I would be surprised if you did come." Once again she grabbed my hand, squeezing it.

It was Ciel's own way of saying that she was there for me. Ciel wasn't one to say words like that out loud any longer. It was one thing when it was just us. Some people probably could mistake us as a couple I bet.

"You want me to skip with you?" I gave a tired smile; Ciel never missed a day of school and usually always had perfect attendance.

"No, I'll be fine besides maybe I can talk my way into being able to spend the day with Amu since I doubt she'll be back in school by then." Ciel hummed but nodded.

"Ok, I'll make sure to have notes for the day for you." I wasn't going to ask how since she was in a different class.

"Though the writing might not be the best but you'll have notes." I was curious now.

"How would you get me notes?" She just shrugged.

"That's for me to know and not you." I sighed; she wouldn't budge and tell me if she said that.

"Ok." It felt silent between us after I muttered it.

That was one good thing between us, by now silences weren't awkward. The rest of the walk to Amu's house was like that, Amu had texted me earlier telling me that we should come over right after school. Apparently they released her from the hospital an hour after the call. Even if she was at home she probably wouldn't be going out for any time soon. Once to her house I noticed that Ciel smiled widely, she let go of my hand and practically bounded up the front steps and knocked, a small little rhythm. I was surprised because I remembered the rhythm, it was something that Amu would always tap with her fingers or pencil when bored.

I stood behind Ciel and when the door opened it revealed Amu's mother, she had a wide smile on her face. I was surprised by how fast Amu's mother hugged Ciel and that Ciel hugged back. I watched as Amu's mother held Ciel so tightly, like a mother would hold a daughter that was hurt or that she hadn't seen in years. I stood there watching and I remembered something Ciel told me one time.

"It's been too long since I last saw you Ciel." Ciel pulled back after a few moments and Amu's mother was still smiling.

"Yes, it's been far too long." Amu's mother looked at me, something in her eyes were different than usual.

"I find it to fitting that Amu's two best friends are you and Ciel, Kukai-kun. As the awkward kid out she had Ciel and when she had settled in and was able to make friends she had you." Amu's mother stepped aside to let us in.

"Come in, it's cold out there." We entered and we slipped off our shoes.

"Why am I not surprised you two are friends?" I looked up and I saw Amu.

Her pink hair was left down, it fell a bit below her shoulders now and currently it was a bit on the messy side but it looked nice. I bit my lip and tried to keep in anything that would've come, or the slight blush that wanted to rise to my cheeks. Amu wore the tannish sweater that I had left here by accident a few weeks ago, it was big on her but it was probably pretty warm since it was made from wool and it was a turtle neck, yet the turtleneck part was baggy on her.

"I don't know no one else believes we're friends." Ciel didn't even seem to bat an eye at the fact that Amu wore my sweater, a sweater that I knew Ciel remembered.

"Really they can't believe you two are friends? You're just a bouncing bundle of energy and cheer usually, the first to race to your friends when they need help and the constant shoulder for your friends." When Amu spoke the words I realized that like me Amu knew the true Ciel.

"I can't stay for long because I have to go to work soon." Ciel only dared to utter the words when we were in the living room and sitting down.

"You have a job?" Amu had snuggled into a blanket that was in an armchair as she spoke.

"Yeah, I'm pretty busy now of days." I noticed that Amu's mother eyed Ciel as she went to the kitchen, Amu's mother knew.

"I don't get how you have to work when your mother is all rich and stuff, she owns Midnight after all." My jaw drop hearing that.

"Ciel told you that?" Amu looked at me and tilted her head.

"Yeah, I know a lot about Ciel. Ciel was almost adopted by my parents when it came out how badly Ciel was abused by her step-father and mother. Her mother was ordered to give her so much money a month since she's rich." Amu knew, she knew about Ciel's well-kept secret.

"Well my mother doesn't but I don't care, I don't want to relay on her anyways. I'll make it on my own." Ciel crossed her arms and she sat back so she was relaxed against the couch.

Amu stood up and crossed the living room. She now sat between Ciel and me. She didn't say anything as she curled into a ball pretty much; her mother was now in the kitchen and out of ear shot since her mother was busy with making dinner. Amu never really liked talking to her mother about issues for some reason.

"What do you want to talk about?" Ciel's voice was soft and even if it was Ciel who spoke Amu just tilted slightly and lent her head on my chest.

"Tadase and Ikuto, I don't know what to do with them anymore." I curled my hands into fists.

It was always hard for me to give un-bias advice on them. At times I was tempted to tell her something that would piss them both off or try to get her. It hurt knowing that she loved them and all I was, was a friend. Ciel tugged on Amu's arm lightly so Amu opened her eyes and looked at Ciel.

"Can we talk in your room Amu? I wanna have a girl talk." I shot Ciel a look but she stuck her tongue out.

"Sure, come on." Amu led Ciel up to her room a little confused.

"Kukai-nii." I jumped and turned my head, Ami was peeking over the back of the couch.

"What's up Ami-chan?" Ami chewed on her lip.

"Can you help me?" She came around the couch and she stared at the floor.

"What do you need help with?" She looked up at me.

"I want to tell onee-chan about my eggs but I can't do it on my own." I would be surprised if Amu didn't know that Ami had a Shugo Chara.

"At the hospital you said 'eggs', how many do you have?" She looked around before grabbing a box that had been sitting on the table.

"Three in total but one has an X." She opened the box revealing two eggs.

One of the eggs was pink and black; the black wasn't the same kind of black as an X Egg though. The egg had a checkered like pattern. The pink and black egg actually had the four card suits, like the theme of Amu's Shugo Charas but they were on a single egg for Ami. The other egg was a soft brown and a soft pale yellow, also in a checkered pattern. This one though had a white wing symbol. She closed the box and moved it so she held the box to her chest.

"I was going to just show them to onee-chan but then you and the other girl showed up. Do you think you could help me tell her?" I fought the sigh but nodded.

"Sure, why not?" She smiled and only removing one arm she hugged me.

"Thanks Kukai-nii." I patted her head and she pulled back quickly.

"Who's the blue haired girl? Is she related to Ikuto? I don't like him." I was surprised hearing her say that.

"Ikuto always teases me or he just doesn't acknowledge me." I shook my head.

"No, her name's Leon Ciel. Ciel is one of my very close friends and apparently one of Amu's childhood friends." Ami smiled now.

"Are you and Leon-san dating?" I blinked and I heard footsteps falter; glancing up I noticed that Amu and Ciel stood there.

"Nope, Ciel is like a sister to me. She's been through thick and thin with me." Ciel shook her head and bumped Amu's hip lightly, it was enough to make Amu break the staring contest between us and look at Ciel.

"Kukai was my first friend, we met back in Kindergarten. We were each other's pillar of support; he was the reason why I found the courage to speak out." Amu smiled slowly.

"Call me later on ok Amu? Get my number from Kukai, I gotta run. It was nice talking to you; I wish I could stay longer though." Ciel gave Amu a quick hug before leaving.

"So, Ciel really lives by herself in an apartment?" Amu looked at me as she asked the question.

"Yeah." Ciel fought tooth and nail to get out and to manage to get up on her own two feet.

"She's really strong." I shrugged my shoulders and looked to the floor.

"If you say so, I think Ciel is just too terrified to relay on people. She's strong, don't think I'm calling her weak but Ciel doesn't trust anymore. I can tell you a sad truth, you're the only person she's herself with aside from me, Amu." Hearing that seemed to surprise Amu, I could tell that she didn't really believe me either.


	8. Chapter 8: The Visit Pt 2

**Notice!** Ok so I've decided that I will try to update this every other week, the opposite week as my other story [Kari's Secret] updates. I really hope no one minds that I'm not just throwing Kukai and Amu together then marking it 'finished'. Enjoy! [**P.S. this story will mostly update on the weekend.**]

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**Chapter Eight: **Visit [Pt. 2]

"You're lying." I shook my head at Amu's accusation.

"I'm not Amu, just please. Take my word for it and don't ask questions. Ciel changed in the last few years, after you moved here. You might not know and if you don't, it's not my place to tell you." That made Amu's face twist with worry.

I hated seeing that worry on her face. I wanted to tell her but I knew Ciel would tell her eventually if they were as close as I think they are. From the fact that Ciel had knocked in that rhythm that Amu always taps out at times tells me that Amu was probably the girl that Ciel called her 'almost sister'. Amu had referred to Ciel as the same if Ciel was who Amu meant that time I asked why she tapped out that rhythm when she was nervous or bored. If they were almost sisters then Amu would learn once Ciel got used to the older Amu.

"Besides we can talk about Ciel later, why don't you take a seat?" Amu stood still for a few seconds before she took a seat on the couch, she didn't sit as close as before and that bothered me slightly.

I glanced at Ami, she had wondered over to the armchair. She toyed with the lid of the box and would glance at me every few seconds. She wanted to tell Amu now. I sighed and closed my eyes while I lent head back. I really didn't know how to approach this topic easily currently.

"Hey Amu, do you know what happened to Daichi?" The question slipped out and when it did I opened my eyes, surprised it slipped out.

I hadn't told the others, including Amu that Daichi had just disappeared one day. They had assumed that Daichi was usually busy during the day since we had all noticed that Daichi would often spend time with two mystery Shugo Charas that he had met one day a year or so ago. One of the Shugo Charas was a girl Chara that was a white and red cat pretty much, while the other was a blonde haired boy Chara. Daichi never told me their names; he vanished before he got to mention them. At times I wonder if those Shugo Charas were related to his disappearance.

"Why do you ask?" I didn't like how tense she sounded suddenly.

"You know what happened to him." I sat forward and looked at her, since Daichi had disappeared I've noticed my moods been rocky and it wasn't all that hard to get me angry.

"I tried to figure it out on my own. I've been trying to do it by myself. I thought for sure I could and I thought that maybe that could be my chance to pay you back for everything you've done over the years for me." I was surprised at how defeated she sounded.

"What happened?" Did Daichi maybe deal with the reason why she seemed so bothered weeks ago?

"I wanted to tell you but I didn't know how to approach the subject. I didn't know if you knew and was purposefully not talking about it or what. I was worried and every time I tried to bring it up, I stopped because my words just didn't seem to form right." I frowned and I knew then, Daichi and Amu's previous mood were connected.

This wasn't how I had expected to bring up the topic of Shugo Charas at all. This also wasn't what I had hoped to talk to Amu about. In truth I had hoped to not tell anyone that Daichi had disappeared. I wasn't sure what happened to him at all and it bothered me. I glanced at Ami, she seemed confused but she was paying attention now.

"Just tell me what you know about Daichi." I doubt it'll worsen my mood any.

"He um, Daichi has an X." I froze and my eyes went wide.

"What are you two talking about onee-chan?" Amu jumped and looked at Ami.

"I thought you left." Ami shook her head, I was glad that Ami had diverted attention from me.

I was stunned. Daichi hadn't gone back to my heart or just went on some kind of adventure. Daichi had an X. How did he have an X when I hadn't given up on my dream? Not to mention how did he get an X without me knowing? When that crossed my mind I remembered what Ciel once told me, her mother was experimenting with something that would change the 'game' of X Eggs and X Charas. Ciel knew about Shugo Charas yet as far as I know she didn't have any. Well once upon a time when we were young I knew she had a Shugo Chara so maybe she remembers yet I doubt one could forget their Shugo Chara since they are our would be selves.

"Nope, I've been sitting here the whole time onee-chan." Amu sighed.

"Remember Ran, Miki, Su, and Dai?" Ami nodded, I focused on them trying to keep my mind occupied because currently those thoughts wouldn't help me any.

"Yelp, the dolls." Amu sighed once more and she placed her hand on her head.

"They're called Shugo Charas; they hatch from eggs after you make a wish." Ami glanced at me and I nodded.

"Like these eggs?" Ami opened the box and showed Amu, who now was stunned.

"You have Shugo Chara Eggs." Amu took the box, she was gentle with it and Ami looked hesitant.

"Yeah, they um showed up a week or two ago." Amu touched one of the eggs with her finger.

"Wait, you knew didn't you Kukai!" Amu looked at me suddenly and I jumped, surprised at how quickly she jumped from shock to looking at me with that accusing look.

"You brought up Daichi on purpose." I scratched the back of my head and grinned slightly.

"Ami asked me how she should tell you, she asked for my help when you were talking with Ciel." I hadn't meant to bring up Daichi but I won't tell her that because she too wanted to know when things bothered me besides she would've learned at some point soon.

"Kukai-nii, can you tell her the other thing?" Amu looked at Ami confused but I knew what she meant.

"Afraid?" Ami nodded but I couldn't blame her, she had witnessed Amu go off once or twice a couple years ago about how people could put an X on their dreams.

"What else do you know about Ami?" Amu looked at me and I rubbed my face.

"Ami has a third egg but it has an X on it, she doesn't know what the Chara is though. She's afraid you'll be angry at her." That made Amu's face soften.

"She told me when you were in the hospital, I hope you don't mind but I told her about Dia trying to help ease her fears." I scratched the back of my head and looked away from her.

I don't know what I would do if she got angry at me.

"No, it's fine. Besides Ami mentioned how much you came to visit me too." I glanced at her from the side of my eye; she had that type of grin on her face that looked like a smirk.

"Yeah he came every day!" I shot a look at Ami but she gave an innocent smile.

"Rima and Nagi wanted to come too but it was family only so they couldn't come, your parents got the doctors to allow me to visit since I had called the ambulance and everything after you collapsed." I looked to the floor and fought the heat that wanted to rise to my cheeks.

"Yeah, thanks for that by the way." I looked to Amu quickly.

I stared at her the best I could; her pink hair tickled my cheek slightly. Amu was hugged me. I was so glad that she wasn't looking at my face or she would see how red my face was. I expected her to release me but she didn't instead she actually tightened her grip on my shirt slightly. I wasn't exactly sure what was happening and I hesitated slightly but I hugged her back.

"Amu?" I called her name softly and the moment I did so she quickly released me and pulled back.

She looked startled for some reason. I was surprised at how quickly she fled, she practically ran to the kitchen. I could hear her questioning her mother about dinner. What was that about? In confusion I glanced at Ami but I found her giggling. When she saw me looking Ami pretty much hopped out of the chair and she ran towards the stairs giggling.

"Kukai-nii likes onee-chan! He's blushing!" Ami called it out as she ran upstairs and my eyes widened.

I placed a hand on my face and fought ever urge that wanted to yell something. I closed my eyes and sighed before just letting myself fall backwards and my head lulled back to rest on the couch's back.

"Kukai?" I opened an eye and looked at Amu, she was standing behind the couch and even her cheeks had a tint of pink.

"Dinner's ready." She turned from me after saying that.

"Ami!" She yelled it and then she raced upstairs and I heard Ami squeal from down here.

"She seems lively." I mutter it as I stood up.

I didn't expect that she would be that lively after what happened. Maybe she would return to school quicker than I had thought she would.

"Yeah, the doctors said that it could've been a lot worse had she not gotten medical attention when she did." I looked to her father who came from somewhere, he always seemed to pop up randomly when I was around but I put that to him being a protective father and not exactly liking boys being close to either Amu or Ami.

"Thank you." He looked at and smiled, this was the slightly more serious side of him that I haven't really ever seen.

"It was nothing really; Amu-chan is one of my best friends." I smiled; I never called her just by her name whenever I talked to her father since I don't want to set him off like I did that one time, I still don't understand why he 'ran away' to the bathroom crying.

"It is something Kukai-kun; I know you're that friend that always helps her even if she tried to avoid telling me." I shifted on my feet because I wasn't exactly sure what he was all going to say.

"Amu-chan means a lot to me so, if she ever asks for help I'll always help her." Besides perhaps if she chooses to ask me how to try and continue to deal with Tadase and Ikuto because I'm done watching them hurt her.

"You like her don't you?"

"Dinner's getting cold!" Her mother cut off anything I would've said in response to that.

"Coming dear~" He turned and went to the table leaving his question hanging.

I really don't know how to deal with her father. When I first met him he had burst out crying and practically tried to stay glued to Amu before Amu got angry. Her getting angry ended up with him 'running away' to the bathroom. He stayed in that bathroom for the whole time I was over; Amu even later called me and said he had cried about me 'being around his angel for too long'. After that he'd give me the evil eye or just watched my every move and that creeped me out and now he goes and shows me a serious side before flipping back to that side that confuses me.

I think I know where she got it from now; Amu's times of overreacting I think comes from her father. I shook my head and went to the table just as Ami raced down the stairs, Amu hot on her heels. I nearly fell actually when Ami went racing past me. I heard Amu yelp and next thing I know I'm holding Amu's arming and keeping her from going face first on the floor. I pulled her up slowly and she gave a nervous laugh and placed a slightly shaky hand on my arm.

"What happened Amu?" Her mother was already coming over from over by the sink while her father eyed Amu.

"N-nothing, I slipped that's all. Running in socks on wood isn't that good I guess." She said it but I knew she was lying.

"Thanks Kukai." She smiled at me but I nodded.

I had let go of her arm but she had a tight grip on my sleeve. Her hand still shook and she looked paler than she had when I had arrived. I guess she probably wasn't feeling as good as I thought she was. I should know that Amu knows how to act, by now she fooled mostly everyone. No longer could she fool just people who didn't know her but she could fool our friends now to.

"Onee-chan is like a princess who keeps getting saved by her prince!" Amu let go and turned to face Ami the moment that Ami said it.

"Ami!" Ami just laughed and stuck her tongue out at Amu.

"The prince is Kukai-nii to!" Ami hid behind their father after saying it but Amu sighed.

"Whatever." Amu muttered it and took a seat, yeah something was wrong.

"You sure you're fine Amu?" Her mother was worried now.

"I'm fine okaasan." Amu put on her best smile and if it didn't fool her mother then her mother was where she got her acting skills from.

After that we all sat down and ended up having dinner. Ami did most of the talking but there were times when Amu asked me about what's happened in school and what had been going on with the others. We were just finishing up and her mother was offering desert when my phone went off. I pulled out my phone and checked it. I frowned when I saw that it was text from Ciel, Ciel should be at work and she never texted when she was at work.

"What's wrong Kukai?" I looked at Amu; her question was low and easily drowned out by Ami yelling about wanting a big slice of whatever kind of pie that her mother had made.

"Ciel texted me, she never texts when she's at work." I looked back at my phone and opened the text.

"Hinamori-san." I was surprised by the request that Ciel had texted me but I looked up and ignored Amu's question and addressed her mother.

"What is it Kukai-kun?" I glanced at my phone.

"Ciel was wondering if I could give her your number because she apparently needs to talk to you." I noticed that now she looked worried but nodded.

"Kukai, what's going on?" I glanced at Amu before texting Ciel the number.

"Um, well Ciel didn't exactly say and she hasn't exactly been very open with people recently." A few moments later their phone rang and Amu's mother answered the phone.

"Thanks for having me over but I need to go, my brothers will probably be calling me soon wanting to know where I am since they keep making me do their dinner runs." I stood as I spoke, even gave a bow to Amu's father.

"Night Kukai-nii!" I gave a wave to Ami and her father nodded.

"It was nice having you over." He smiled but even he seemed a bit worried.

"I'll walk you to the door." I chose not to argue with Amu and we walked.

"Ciel did say something; you didn't want to say it in front of my parents though." Amu only said it once we were away from the kitchen, we could hear her mother upstairs talking and I was worried about what was going on.

"She asked for your home phone and mentioned that she got attacked by Daichi on her way to work." I barely got the words out; I had been slipping on my shoes when I spoke so Amu couldn't see my face.

"Is she alright?" I sighed and stopped before I grabbed my coat.

"I don't know Amu, she didn't say. Ciel probably wouldn't tell me if she got hurt because she knows then I'd feel guilty." I grabbed my coat and put it on.

"You try too hard sometimes." I was confused by her words and a bit surprised that she hugged me suddenly, yet again.

"What do you mean?" She pulled away but she smiled at me.

"I bet everything's fine. Have a good night Kukai; I'll be back in school soon." I sighed but I returned her smile.

"There we go! I missed that smile Kukai." I turned around quickly to avoid her seeing how badly I was blushing now.

"If you need to text me, I gotta go now." I grabbed my bag and opened the door to leave.

"Ok, talk to you later, night." I closed the door behind me and sighed.

I placed a hand on my head before I began to walk away. Amu was alive and there was no more 'worse case scenarios' that could happen to her while in the hospital. Her life wasn't hanging in the balance. I smiled but yet now a part of me had to wonder what happened to Ciel. What was bad enough that made her text me while at work and even asked me to give her Amu's house phone so she could talk to Amu's mother? Ciel never even answered me; I had asked her what happened when I texted the phone number to her.


	9. Chapter 9: Ciel

Sorry about not updating this weekend, I don't even have an excuse besides that I forgot since I had this chapter written out already. Also in response to the question as to how she got attacked by Daichi, he's an X Chara and the X Chara all had different things they could do to people. Also there's another point that I didn't publish last week that got put out in this chapter. If there's still a question ask me and I'll clear up since I already know that some of my writing isn't the best.

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**Chapter Nine:** Ciel

[Amu's P.O.V]

I sat on the couch watching the movie that I had started before dinner. I was a bit unnerved and worry now. Otousan had taken Ami over to one of her friend's house since Ami's friend had called about having a sleepover. Okaasan had left after talking with Ciel on the phone. I sighed and lent my head back. Ciel told Kukai that she got attacked by Daichi. Daichi had an X so he was an X Chara. Why would Daichi attack Ciel though? Ciel had no Shugo Charas so there was no reason to attack her is there?

"Dia, do you know anything about Ciel?" I looked at Dia, she had watching me from around the corner since she was trying to hide.

My Charas had stayed away from the others for a little while and they were trying to leave me alone since they knew I was tired. Unlike my family and Kukai they knew that I was really tired. I didn't exactly want to be up right now but I knew if I slept too much my parents would worry and take me to more doctors.

"Her sparkle is faded and hard to see now. She doesn't shine; her light is only a small speck that is slowly going out." I frowned hearing that and I was worried.

"Do you think she'll be ok?" Dia flew over and rested on the couch beside me.

"From her sparkle, no but I didn't have much time to really get a good feel of her." I nodded and sat up.

The credits were rolling and I heard the front door open. I turned my head and I watched as my mother came in yet Ciel was behind her. What surprised me though was that clinging to Ciel's leg was a young boy. Ciel's head was hung, her hair wasn't up or in a hat so her hair hid her face. The boy that clung to her leg looked skinner than he should be and his hair didn't look the cleanest either but his whole outfit was dirty as if he had rolled around in the dirt.

"I'm really sorry to impose on you like this Hinamori-san." Ciel's voice was so low and the only reason I heard her was because it was so quiet.

"Ciel, I already told you to stop that. Why don't you and Ethan go upstairs and shower? I'll heat up the left overs and find something that you two can wear." The boy that I could only assume was Ethan gripped Ciel's leg tighter and stared at my mother as if he was terrified.

"Amu, do you think you can show them to the bathroom?" My mother looked at and she looked worried, something wasn't right.

I got up and walked over to them, Dia following me. My mother left to the kitchen but neither Ciel nor the boy moved. I glanced at Ciel's face and I saw that she was crying. Ciel wasn't ever one to cry let alone allow people to see her cry. I glanced at the boy, he was staring at Ciel. He wasn't scared, he was worried. He had messy green blue hair while his eyes were a light sky blue.

"Ciel, are you ok?" She looked at me and Dia gasped.

"Her sparkle is completely gone." Dia's voice was low but I saw the lacking of light in her eyes.

"Sorry to be a burden Amu." She didn't sound like she had earlier.

"Onee-chan, it isn't your fault." 'Ethan' pulled on her hand and she glanced at him.

"You did what you could; it isn't your fault onee-chan." Ciel looked away from him.

"I still failed." I gulped.

"Come on, maybe a shower will help you feel better Ciel." Ciel did look kind of messed up since there were dirt smears on her coat and specs of dirt in her hair.

I led them upstairs but nothing was said. I was getting a really bad feeling about this. Once to the bathroom they went in together but they were siblings, Ethan was easily only six or seven. I stood outside the door for a few moments before going down stairs. I stopped at the kitchen table though. I had intended to ask my mother what was wrong but she was crying. She had a hand over her mouth and she was crying her eyes out.

"Okaasan?" She looked at me; her glasses weren't on her face.

"I should've taken her in when I had the chance Amu." Her broken words further worried me.

"What happened?" I wasn't even sure of what to believe now.

Maybe X Daichi hadn't attacked her. Maybe Ciel told that to Kukai so if he asked her what happened she could refuse to tell him without him getting really suspicious. Kukai already thought he wouldn't get to know because Ciel might think he'd feel guilty if she told him what all happened. Maybe Ciel lied to Kukai but if she hadn't told him the truth then what actually happened?

"Her mother doesn't deserve to call herself a mother." My mother saying that and even muttering a few curses surprised me.

"Ciel and Ethan were heading home when they were attacked by an X Chara." I looked to the Shugo Chara that appeared suddenly, he floated closer to the archway into the dining room.

"The X Chara wasn't alone though; there was someone from Midnight there that from what I gathered was sent by their mother to try and 'convince' Ciel to sign over her birthright. They managed to get away and the game of chase only went on for a couple of minutes but then Ciel's world cracked just a little more." I stared the Shugo Chara because I had no clue who he was, I was grateful that my mother wasn't paying complete attention.

The Shugo Chara had dark blue hair and green eyes. There was a pair of green goggles on his head while he wore a blue tunic like shirt that had a green belt. He wore tan pants that were tucked into black boots while he also wore a pair of tan gloves. Who did he belong to? He seemed to know Ciel and Ethan so maybe he belongs to Ethan?

"They had just gotten home to the one bedroom apartment they lived in only to find out that what little they owned was littered across the side walk, they had been evicted. Ciel tried hard to find a job after she was let go but she couldn't find anything. She told those that knew about her situation that she had a job, said she was going to work with her adoptive father's friend when in truth that was just a lie." I was stunned hearing that.

"Who are you?" Dia asked the question while Miki and Ran snuck up behind him; Su was floating back and watching as she looked horrified.

"Orion, I belong to Ethan." Ethan probably heard and saw Dia earlier if he was paying attention to anything besides Ciel.

"Amu, do you think you have any clothes that could fit Ciel?" I looked at mother while she paused.

"What do we do about Ethan? He needs clothes too." She looked worried but I glanced at Miki before smiling.

"Don't worry, I got it covered okaasan! I'll find something, just worry about warming up the leftovers." I watched as she wiped her tears but nodded.

I curled my hands into fists. This wasn't right. I took a deep breath before going to the stairs and heading upstairs. Miki was already drawing; she was being pulled along by Ran. Su was talking to Ethan's Chara that followed us upstairs. Once to my room I grabbed my phone that had been charging and I debated on telling Kukai.

"You want to tell Kukai so he doesn't worry don't you?" I nodded and looked at Dia.

"Don't tell Kukai, please." I looked to Orion; he looked like deer caught in headlights suddenly for some reason.

"Ciel's tried hard not to truly let Kukai see how bad she struggles; Kukai doesn't know that Ciel didn't just work her butt off for herself. Kukai has _never_ met or heard of Ethan. You can't tell Kukai." I gripped my phone; keeping something from Kukai hurt before and I didn't want to keep something from him again.

"I can't keep a secret from him." Orion clasped his hands together and dropped to his knees in the air.

"Please, Ciel barely lets people close. If you tell Kukai and he changes at all by means of pity or worry then Ciel will distance herself since she's so tired of being pitied and she hates it when people worry about her." I bit my lip and looked to the floor.

I knew how badly Ciel hated both. Ciel was forced to grow up way to young. She had to care for herself from a young age. Even I hadn't known that she had a younger brother. All this time when she was forced to take care of herself she was probably taking care of Ethan as well. She always seemed to feel weak when others worried about her or helped her. She felt like she was inadequate, all thanks to her mother's treatment.

"Kukai isn't like that." Orion didn't even look at Ran when she spoke; he just continued to stay in that begging stance and giving me puppy dog eyes.

"I won't tell him, tonight." Orion bit his lip but after a few moments he nodded.

"Drew, draw, drawn!" I looked to Miki when she chanted the words.

Two outfits appeared, one for Ciel and one for Ethan. Ciel's was more on the girlish side. Her outfit consisted of a white flowy shirt that would probably reveal the top of her back but had strings crisscrossing across that part and a pair of dark blue pants. Ethan's outfit was a dark blue t-shirt and black pants. I picked the clothes up off of my bed quickly and began towards the bathroom before stopping.

"Thanks Miki." I turned my head and smiled at Miki, all of my Shugo Charas smiled at that and Miki smiled rather widely.

"It's no problem Amu-chan!" They had missed me during the few days that I had been out; they had been pretty worried as well.

I knocked the bathroom door and only opened the door when I heard Ciel telling me I could come in. Ciel was leaning against the shower door with a towel wrapped around her body; I had told her where the spare towels were. She looked at me and I offered the clothes and a smile. She looked at the clothes and she hesitated to take the clothes from me.

"I'm sorry about being a burden Amu." I shook my head.

"You're not a burden." Where was the Ciel I knew in the past?

"You just got out of the hospital Amu, you could've died and here you are having to deal with my shit again." I gave her a flat look and placed my hands on my hips.

"Excuse me Ciel but if I remember correctly when we were younger we made a promise the day before you moved. You said you'd be my big sister and that whenever something happened I could lean on you. I told you that day that you were my sister and if something happened then you could lean on me. That promise was observed by Synne. Synne told you that day that after that promise you finally had someone you could completely trust and count on right? So get it through your skull that you're not a burden." Ciel stared at me but I saw a smile appear on her face, no matter how small it was it was enough.

"Thanks Amu, I really needed to hear that I think." She looked at the clothes and I took a step back.

"When you two are ready come to my room or go down the kitchen ok?" She nodded and hummed slightly as I turned around.

"You can tell Kukai if you want." I froze.

"Eh?" How did she know I had wanted to tell Kukai?

"I know Orion told you about what happened, well I asked him to explain it to you. I want to tell Kukai as well but I can't find the words to tell him." I wasn't surprised she remembered Shugo Charas and in truth looking back I really wanted to laugh at how I had reacted when I first got my Shugo Charas.

"Onee-chan, can I get out now?" Ethan peeked out and I smiled slightly at him before leaving the bathroom and shutting the door.

Sighing I went to my room but I stopped. Ikuto sat on my bed. I just stared at him as he stared right back. I didn't want to deal with him yet. I didn't want to see him or Tadase for a while. Ran was held by Su and Miki had her hands over Ran's mouth while Ran continued trying to say things. Dia floated close to them but she wouldn't look at Ikuto, Orion looked confused.

"What are you doing here Ikuto?" I crossed my arms and I watched him stand up, yet he didn't say anything.

"Did you at least use the front door?" I expected at least a sarcastic smirk or comment.

I didn't get what I expected though. Suddenly he had pulled me into a hug. My eyes widened and my face started to heat up. He held me rather tightly, as if I could disappear at any moment. I closed my eyes after a few seconds. This felt nice. Ikuto was warm.

"You're alive." His words were low and that's when his actions made sense.

"No thanks to you!" Ran's voice cut through the silence and Ikuto stiffened.

"I'm sorry." Ikuto held me tighter but his apology surprised me; that was one of the very few times I have ever heard him actually apologize.

"I tried to visit you when I heard but they wouldn't let me." I gulped and tried to fight the part of me that wanted to forgive him.

I wanted to forgive him. He didn't mean for what happened to happen. Yet at the same time the words that Ciel had told me earlier before she left. She had told me after it was just us that at some point I had to draw a line. I really wanted to forgive him. Even if I didn't want to see him or Tadase at the moment I didn't hate either of them, they didn't mean for any of that to happen to me. Not to mention Ikuto was obviously beating himself up over it.

"I had just finally stopped the whole black cat thought completely and then you nearly died." I heard someone clear there throat and I froze.

"Who are you?" Ikuto hissed the words so it obviously wasn't my mother.

I peeked over my shoulder and I found Ciel. Ethan stood beside her; he was giving a very similar look to Ikuto that Ciel was giving to him. Ciel was glaring at Ikuto and looked unhappy.

"I could ask you the same thing, after all it isn't very often I walk into a room and find someone that is easily twenty with my friend who is only sixteen." Well, putting it that way then this probably really does look awkward through the eyes of someone who doesn't know both Ikuto and I.

"Ciel, this is Ikuto." Ciel looked at me when I said that.

"So _he's_ Ikuto, no wonder the prince is always so unsure about his chances of winning your heart." I heard Ikuto snicker slightly but I elbowed him.

"Ikuto, this is my childhood friend and kinda sister Ciel." Ciel nudged Ethan with her foot.

"Go downstairs and talk to Hinamori-san, she's really nice and she'll take good care of you Ethan. I trust her so you can trust her as well, if Amu's father comes back don't worry either ok? They helped me a lot in the past and I know we can trust them." Ethan stared at her before nodding.

"Orion, come on." Ethan left and Orion followed after him.

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I feel like I'm dragging out the pairing to much~! If I am I'm sorry but it's coming, seriously it shouldn't be long now. [Watch, since I said that it's gonna be a long time due to something or another.]


	10. Chapter 10: Talks

**So, sorry about not updating on Saturday. Let's just say in real life I had some issues that prevented me from updating until today. Also, I'm going to try and keep this from going too dark [**I feel like it's dark enough with Ciel**] yet I might fail because at the moment I'm nursing my own little heartache since just yesterday I got rejected. Which also leads into what else I was going to say, I'm going to start writing Chapter Eleven but due to the fact this is supposed to be a romance I may not update next Saturday because I'm not going to post a chapter that isn't good and trying to write romance with a broken heart isn't always that easy to do. I hope you guys like the chapter.**

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**Chapter Ten:** Talks

[Amu's P.O.V]

As Ethan left the room Ciel didn't stop glaring at Ikuto. I hadn't exactly gotten to tell her a lot and she might've only heard the worse bits about Ikuto. I struggled slightly to get out of Ikuto's arms yet he didn't want to let me go, he did remove his arms though. I don't know why I felt like I was caught in the middle of a forbidden act or something.

"Amu needs her rest, Ikuto-kun." I was surprised by the fact that Ciel's glare melted away and she smiled at Ikuto.

Ciel's just jumped from seemingly very angry to seemingly very kind. I noticed that Ikuto looked the slightest bit disturbed. Most people would be disturbed I guess if Ciel flip flopped emotions so quickly. Yet I also knew that more than likely that smile she wore was a fake.

"If you know what happened then you know she also only got out today so she needs her rest. So perhaps you should leave for now, visit another time but perhaps ask how she feels before coming if only until she gets better." The gleam in Ciel's eyes was dangerous despite the smile she wore.

I forgot that Ciel was protective of me.

"Her mother said I could visit her." I was relieved to hear that my mother actually knew he was here or this situation could've gotten really bad.

"Yes well we both know Amu is an incredible actress, her own mother probably doesn't know how tired she is." I was starting to feel a bit awkward since they were talking about me as if I wasn't even here.

"That's enough you two." I cut Ikuto off.

"Ciel's right Ikuto, I'm really tired and all I really want to do is go to sleep." Ikuto gave me a look, his walls going back up.

"The kiddy king is coming isn't he? You always try to keep us apart with an excuse along those lines." I curled my hands into fists.

"If anyone would be coming then it would be Kukai, I'm kinda done with you and Tadase." The words came out without a thought and I watched how wide Ikuto's eyes went.

"Amu has spoken and so, would you kindly leave?" Ciel sounded a bit joking but I don't think she was joking.

"Shut up!" He hissed the words at Ciel.

I took a step towards him, intending to say something but the world tilt slightly. Yet again my balance was failing. Kukai had caught me earlier and thankfully hadn't called me out on my lie. Ikuto made a grab but suddenly I was yanked backwards and tumbled that way but I didn't hit the ground. I glanced at Ciel who had yanked me backwards only to fall herself. She rubbed her head slightly but when she caught my worried look she just smiled at me, that smile was real.

"I'm fine; you really should rest some Amu." I sighed and I stood up, my legs were a bit shaky.

"I probably should." Ikuto looked a bit stunned for some reason.

"You, you're with Midnight." Ikuto's words surprised me.

"She's not with Midnight." Ikuto reached out and suddenly pulled me towards him.

"Yeah she is." I looked at Ciel confused.

"No, I'm not with Midnight. I have little reason to help them if not every reason in the world to hate them. Perhaps you remember that night but that was not because I'm with Midnight." What was she talking about?

"Even if I was with Midnight it would not be by choice." There was no time for any comment because my mom entered my room, she looked a bit worried.

"What's going on?" She gave Ikuto a look and Ikuto released my arm.

"A misunderstanding Hinamori-san, Ikuto-kun thought he knew me. He mistook me for someone else and whoever he mistook me for apparently isn't the nicest so he was worried about Amu." My mother looked at Ciel before slowly nodding.

"Perhaps you should go home Ikuto, it's getting late." Ikuto really didn't like getting dismissed at this point.

"Thank you for having let me see Amu." He left but I knew he was bothered.

"The leftovers are heated up Ciel." She nodded and my mother left.

Ciel's smile vanished and she looked a tad bit annoyed.

"Ciel?" She sighed and placed a hand on her forehead.

"Don't." I was confused but she gave me a look.

"Don't ask what he saw. Don't ask what I referenced. Don't tell anyone what just happened." For once since that day when we made the promise she sounded like she was nearly begging.

"Just know that I don't work with Midnight and trust me on that." She left quickly after that and I was bothered slightly.

"Who was that, Amu-chan?" I looked to Su before sighing and walking over to my bed and sitting down.

"Leon Ciel, she's a childhood friend who acted like my older sister when we were younger. Her mother abused her in the past while also being very cruel in various other ways. Ciel was almost adopted by my parents but someone else adopted her yet he died at some point and since then Ciel has probably been working to care for Ethan and her." I was still slightly bothered by the fact that I had never known of Ethan before today.

"That's horrible!" Ran shouted the words and I just nodded.

"If you combine that with what Orion said then she's also currently homeless." I gripped my hands and my head swam slightly with how many things were bouncing around my head.

"Oh my." Su sounded worried while I stared at the floor.

I jumped when my phone went off. I don't know why it startled me but it had. I sighed and grabbed it from my nightstand. My phone continued to ring and I smiled slightly when I saw that it was Kukai. I answered my phone and lay back on my bed, closing my eyes.

"Hey Kukai." I dreaded what he would ask me and when I would tell him what Ciel told me to tell.

"_Ok so, I'm not actually going to ask about Ciel. I don't want to hear anything about her currently._" I opened my eyes confused since I couldn't figure out if he was annoyed or not.

"Did Ciel do something?" I sat up as I asked the question.

"_No, it's just we kept talking about her and you're the one who just got out of the hospital._" I wasn't sure how to take that comment.

"_How are you feeling? Also, be honest with me._" I smiled slightly and yawned.

"_Tired?_" I lay back on my bed, staring up at the ceiling.

"Yeah." I watched as Ran darted around my room, faintly yelling at Miki about something while Su was cleaning up my desk even though it was pretty clean already.

"Thanks for not ratting me out earlier." I had thought for sure he would rat me out.

"_If I thought something was wrong I would've. What was with that though?_" I hummed slightly and closed my eyes.

"I just got dizzy, the doctors told me not to move around too much so I guess I pushed it too much earlier." When was the last time I actually had more than a couple second conversation with Kukai?

"_What's wrong?_" I find it funny that even over the phone he knew when something bothered me.

"Ikuto showed up for a surprise visit. A part of me is happy that he cared enough to show up." I heard Kukai grumble something.

"_I take it things are find between you and Ikuto then._" Why did Kukai sound bothered?

"Is something wrong Kukai?" He was quiet and I could hear the muffled voices of his brothers in the background, they were yelling about something.

"_Nothing._" I opened my eyes and I almost jumped when I saw Dia floating above my face, she had her head tilted.

"Kukai." I watched as Dia placed her hands on her ears and closed her eyes.

"_It's nothing important, my brother are just getting on my nerves that all._" I sighed and closed my eyes, leaving the questions I had for Dia later.

"If you say so." I would leave it alone because I knew that his brothers did annoy him often but I knew that wasn't what was bothering him currently.

"Besides, things aren't fine between Ikuto and I. I'm still annoyed with how he and Tadase always act." Kukai muttered something but I didn't hear it.

"_Is he still there?_" The question only came after a couple of seconds.

"No, Ciel kind of sort of dismissed him and sort of gave away the fact I need to rest." It was odd but something tells me Ciel had something to do with how my mother decided to ask Ikuto to leave instead of inviting him to stay longer.

"_Remind me to high five Ciel when I see her again._" Is there something that I don't know about?

"Huh? Why would you high five her?" Did I miss something while I was out?

"_Oh, uh no reason, you know different reasons._" Well that doesn't sound suspicious at all.

"Kukai-" My words were cut off by a yawn.

"_If you're sleepy we could get off you know_." I frowned.

"No, we've barely got to talk and I want to talk to you longer." He laughed and I heard a muffled thump.

"_Ok, so we'll talk until you're done talking then._" I smiled now.

"_Even if you talk my ear off well into the night._" I opened my eyes when the light changed; Su probably had been the one who turned off the lights.

"Anything happen while I was asleep?" He gave an awkward cough but I guess maybe to him he hadn't exactly called the coma I had been in 'sleeping'.

"_Um, besides the others kind of suspecting that Ciel had connections to Midnight; also a lot of rumors starting up about Ciel and me._" I guess that means that something happened to draw attention to them.

"What kind of rumors?" He was silent for a couple of moments.

"_Some people liked trying to say that I was dating Ciel or certain uh things were happening between Ciel and me._" I frowned hearing that and there was a slight pain in my chest for some reason.

"_Ciel and I might as well be siblings though. Ciel's like, the sister I never had. Well she is quite tomboyish but that doesn't count._" I bit my lip.

Why did the thought of them liking each other hurt? After what happened with Utau I should be happy for Kukai if he started to like someone else. I still can't believe what happened between him and Utau actually. It had surprised me when it happened because I hadn't seen it coming. The fact that I hadn't seen it coming and how it just seemed to have gone from being perfectly fine to _that_ made it worse for him and all that much harder to believe. Kukai was pretty messed up after that, he didn't even want to talk about Utau or even hear her name now. That had put me in an awkward place for a while since I was Utau's friend but then she got angry because I was siding with Kukai, I haven't talked to her in a while.

"I'll probably go back to school not tomorrow but the day after that." I would take the day off since my mom wanted me to but I wasn't really feeling like I wanted to be trapped in this house for two whole days.

"_That's perfect; uh I mean only if you feel up to it._" I laughed slightly.

"I see you're happy that I'm awake." I yawned again and my eyes slipped closed.

"_Yeah, I was really relieved when you woke up._" I smiled slightly.

We started to talk again and after a while I started to fall asleep. It was nice talking to Kukai; he just made me feel comfortable and safe. After a couple seconds more his talking lulled me to sleep.

[Kukai's P.O.V]

I smiled softly as I listened, she had fallen asleep. It was quiet here so I could hear some of the stuff that was going on in the background at Amu's house.

"Amu?" I called her name softly, just to make sure before I hung up, she didn't respond though so I knew she wasn't awake.

"Night Amu, love you." I whispered the last two words softly before hanging up.

I grabbed my head and groaned when I realized what I had said. I fell back on my bed and stared up at the ceiling. What if Amu wasn't really asleep? That would be really awkward. Amu doesn't love me, I know she doesn't. Amu was probably in love with Ikuto or Tadase. Even if she's mad at them she'll go back to them eventually. Within a week she'll be back to playing monkey in the middle with them.


	11. Chapter 11: Planned?

**The Chapter is a little short and I'm sorry about that. This is what I have and I hope you like it. Sorry if you don't like. [**I'm trying to continue to update this even working through my own issues**]. So, here's to hoping you like it!**

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**Chapter Eleven:** Planned?

"How do you feel Amu?" I looked at Ciel; we were eating breakfast well only Ethan was eating.

Mom hadn't counted on me getting up early so she hadn't made breakfast for me yet. I wasn't sure why Ciel wasn't eating but she's been up the longest so she might've already finished eating.

"I'm feeling pretty good surprisingly." I smiled at her and she gave a small smile, it was barely a smile but it was a smile.

My father had gone to do something while my mother was upstairs helping Ami to find something that she misplaced. I glanced at Ethan, he was eating a piece of toast yet just like his sister he didn't ask for much for breakfast. When came to when my mom asked all Ciel had asked for was a cup of tea while Ethan only wanted some toast. His green hair was messy while his eyes looked unfocused.

"I talked your mom into letting you go to school if you feel up to it." I looked to Ciel.

"Really?" She nodded and sipped her tea.

"Yeah, on the condition that I keep an eye on you since she's worried." I thought about that.

I could stay home and listen to my mom fuss over me and probably be trapped in my room the whole day. My mom would assume if I stayed home that something was wrong or I could go to school. While going to school wasn't exactly ideal but I could see the others. I really wanted to see Rima and Nagi.

"So, what are you going to do?" I laughed slightly.

"I think I'll go to school." Ciel smiled and she grabbed her phone, she texted someone.

"Well, why don't you go get dressed? I'm leaving early and your mom will want you to go with me." I blinked.

"Why are you leaving early?" She stood up.

"Kukai and I were going to grab breakfast before school since his brothers are giving him a hard time." I bit my lip and thought back to what Kukai said last night about how there were rumors about her and Kukai.

"Are you sure I can tag along with you two?" She looked at me before laughing.

"Of course I am. Kukai won't be bothered one bit that you're coming with us. If anything he'll be happy that you're coming with us. Besides you know if I wouldn't have wanted you to come I wouldn't have offered. I'm not that kind of person." Ciel checked her phone and smirked slightly.

"Um, Ciel?" I was unnerved slightly; she looked the slightest bit evil.

"Oh it's nothing." She responded to the text before looking back to me.

"Kukai will be here in a couple of minutes so why don't you go get dressed?" I watched her for a second longer before turning and going to the stairs.

"Oh, are you heading out with Ciel?" My mom was coming down the stairs when I reached the bottom.

"Yeah, I'm going to grab breakfast with her and Kukai." She smiled.

"If you need anything or want to come home at any point in time today just call ok?" I nodded and went up the stairs quickly.

Once to my room and no prying eyes since my Shugo Charas were asleep I lost the will to hold in the small giggle. This morning is starting off pleasantly well. I was really happy at the thought that I'd get to hang out with Kukai before heading to school. I quickly pulled my uniform that and put it on. The skirt was black unlike the previous colorful skirts there had been in Junior High and Elementary. The uniforms were pretty much the same between girls and boys besides the fact that girls wore skirts and pants along with that the boys wore the classic tie and the girls wore ribbons yet both were a soft blue color.

"You're going to school?" I looked to Miki; she was rubbing her eyes since she probably just woke up.

"Yeah thanks to Ciel. I also get to hang out with her and Kukai before school starts." I glanced at the clock, there was a probably an hour before school started.

School started around nine, about eight forty five or so. We would have time for breakfast and still have time to reach school without rushing. I looked back to my Shugo Charas when I heard them laughing, they were all up now. Dia was out as well, she seemed to be out quite often now of days. She didn't stay hidden away in her egg and I was kind of happy about that.

"What are you guys laughing at?" They shared a glance while Dia just had a knowing smiling on her face.

"Nothing~!" I narrowed my eyes slightly; their sing-song voices annoyed me a little because I knew that it wasn't '_nothing_'.

"Sure." I went to my desk but I stopped.

I sighed as I looked at the makeup work I had. My teachers wouldn't exactly expect it today but it would be fun to try and do it all. I would probably have to get notes from Rima or Nagi. I put my books back into my bag so I could leave.

"Amu, Kukai's here so come on." I looked at Ciel, she stood at the doorway.

"Alright." I closed my bag and grabbed a pair of socks before leaving my room and following her down stairs.

"Thought you said you wouldn't be coming back to school yet?" Kukai ask the question teasingly once he saw me coming down.

"Well apparently Ciel has different plans." Ciel rolled her eyes as she grabbed her coat and put it on.

"Ethan, be good for Hinamori-san." I glanced at Ethan; he was watching us from the table.

"I'll be good but you better keep your promise Ciel." I was confused but I noticed that Kukai looked a little surprised.

"Ethan?" So I wasn't the only one who hadn't known about Ethan.

"Yes, Ethan's my younger brother. Sorry about never telling you about him but I didn't want to worry you any." I grabbed my coat and put it on, not wanting a repeat of what happened.

"Geez, you sure know how to keep your mouth shut about secrets." Ciel grinned but I saw the hint of an evil plan in it.

"What do you got planned Ciel?" She shrugged and she opened the door stepping out, it was snowing.

"Oh, don't worry about it. Why don't we go and grab breakfast now you two?" Kukai glanced at me and I shrugged.

"If she's planning anything, it's probably nothing that bad." He sighed and shook his head.

As we left I put on a hat since it was pretty cold. I did learn one thing; I won't be taking chances of wearing jackets anymore when it's cold enough for a coat. Even if I tell myself I'll only be out for a few moments. We had to catch up to Ciel since she was ahead of us.

"Wait, what about your brother?" Ciel looked at me over her shoulder.

"He knows how to get to school, besides he goes to the same school as your sister. Ethan will be fine; he usually always walks to school by himself anyways." I wonder him and Ami knows each other then?

"So, how was your morning Amu?" Kukai asked the question as Ciel stopped.

"Well, I wish I could've slept in." He nodded; Ciel was on her on her phone.

"Us both." I gave a small smile but I was cut off by Ciel sighing.

"Sorry you two, I have to go and take care of something." Ciel looked over her shoulder and gave a guilty smile but there a certain glint in her eye.

"Looks like it'll just be you two for breakfast!" She took off running.

"Ciel! You planned this didn't you?" Kukai yelled it after her and I was confused.

"Why would I do that?" Ciel yelled it back before she turned a corner and vanished.

"Oh, she'll get it later." I shifted on my feet.

"Sorry if you don't want to have breakfast with just me." I looked the ground.

Maybe he was mad after all about me not telling him that I had seen what happened to Daichi? Kukai was able to hide his annoyance or anger pretty well. Then again I had pretty much avoided him after I saw X Daichi. He didn't seem to know that Daichi had an X so maybe he was bothered by the fact that I had never told him what I had known.

"It's not like that Amu!" He turned to face me pretty quickly and sounded panicked.

"It's fine if you don't, I would understand." I sighed and closed my eyes.

I always loved hanging out with Kukai, he was one of closest people to me now of days. I always looked forward to being able to hang out with him. He always seemed to enjoy the times we hung out too. It was something that I had hoped would never change. Besides just loving the time we spent together I always felt better and happier when we hung out. Spending time with him always seemed to light my day up, even if it had been a really bad day.

"Geez Amu, I don't know why you would think that I wouldn't want to spend time with you. I really don't mind it being just the two of us." I blushed slightly and looked to Kukai; he had grabbed my hand and was starting to pull me along behind him.

"In truth, I'm happy." He glanced over his shoulder me, suddenly shier than I've seen him before.

I wasn't sure if it was because of the cold but his ears were a little red and even his face had a red tint to it. His hold on my hand loosened but before he could drop my hand I gripped his hand tighter. I couldn't tell you why but I didn't want him to let go of my hand. He looked away with a smile on his face; he held my hand just a little tighter. His hand was warm despite the cold and the fact that neither of us wore gloves.

"I always love it when we get to spend time together alone." I whispered the words, hoping he wouldn't hear them but I felt like I had to say them out loud.


	12. Chapter 12: Date?

So, I'm going to apologize at the fail of trying to make it seem like a date. If anyone has any tips on how to write those scenes feel free to share with me [it would be much appreciated as well]. I tried to make that part good and took extra time and everything but it still turned out bad. So comments? Reviews? Criticism [try to be nice]? Tips? Um, anything else? Also seriously, my internet is going crazy and decides to go out at the worst times. Also, question to my readers. What do you think about me including something that may not focus on the central pairing? Would you rather me stop the story at them getting together and then have a 'sequel' that includes what I'm building up to [it's kind of a side plot really] or do you guys want me to throw that side plot in this story to?

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**Chapter Twelve:** Date?

[Amu's P.O.V]

I smiled as I walked holding Kukai's hand; he had yet to release my hand. We were nearing the place we would be getting breakfast; it was apparently somewhere Ciel had suggested. I do kind of wonder where Ciel had run off to this early in the morning so quickly.

"Are you going to go to the festival?" I looked at Kukai before looking away and thinking.

"I don't know, I haven't decided yet." The Winter Festival was next week.

"Why do you ask?" I glanced back to him but he quickly stopped himself from saying something looking away.

"Ah, we're here, come on." I frowned slightly, well that sounds like he's avoiding that topic even if he brought it up.

"What is this place?" I stopped outside the door and looked at the sign; the words weren't familiar to me.

"Ciel came here a lot with her father; he even brought me here once with them. It's pretty good in truth; the menus are readable though thankfully." Ah, since I know enough English to know if that was English it's probably safe to assume that it's actually French.

"Come on, we still need to order and eat." I nodded and entered, laughing slightly but blushing as well.

"Thanks Kukai." He had held the door open and let me enter first.

"Welcome, will you two be eating here or will it be to go?" I looked to the woman who stood at the small podium that was by the door.

"I think we have time to eat here." I glanced at my watch; yeah we would probably have time.

"If it helps any we just finished making a fresh batch of most of the popular breakfast items and considering there isn't a mad rush if you order from the popular list then you'll probably be served quickly." I smiled and looked back to the woman.

"Ok." She giggled and led us to a booth and I noticed something that surprised me.

I stared at the picture that hung on the wall. The picture was of a group of three, right out front of the store. The male had vivid nearly neon blue hair, he was crouched had a hand rested on a young girl's head. The young girl had messy light blue hair and bright blue-green eyes while smiling away. The young girl was probably only about four at the time while the woman that stood behind the male and girl had pale blonde hair and dark grey eyes, her eyes looked cold. Yet the names that were written below the picture were what had my attention.

'Café du Ciel Opening; Leon Astère [Age: 27, Founder] with his wife [Leon Alice, Age: 27] and his daughter [Leon Ciel, Age: four]'

"Amu?" I looked at Kukai, realizing I was staring.

"The picture." I pointed at it as I sat down; the woman seemed patient and didn't seem surprised that I had stopped when I saw the picture.

"Oh, that picture, Ciel usually never really let me get a good look at it in truth." Kukai glanced at it and even he seemed a tad surprised.

"What do you two want to drink?" I looked to the lady before glancing at the menu that was on the table, the menu was thankfully in Japanese.

"Hm, why not some hot chocolate for a change." I hummed slightly at Kukai's choice; there wasn't really anything that interested me.

"I'll have some too." The woman smiled and nodded.

"Either of you know what you want to eat already?" She glanced between us and looked at the food, nope not a clue since most of this doesn't even look or sound familiar.

"This is why I normally come with Ciel since she can pronounce these annoying names, the bread that has the chocolate in it." The woman laughed slightly at Kukai's order but she wrote it down.

"What about you miss?" I glanced at Kukai after a few moments.

"Why don't you choice for me? I don't even know half of this." He smiled and thought before nodding.

"I know the perfect thing, the other chocolate thing but it has cream as well." That again had the woman laughing yet it Kukai didn't seem bothered at all.

"Alright then, you two are such a cute couple." I stilled and I could feel my face heat up.

The woman left giggling and seemingly whispering to herself about something. I stared at the table top but snuck a glance at Kukai. He was fiddling with the napkin that was on the table but he was pretty red too. The silence and situation wasn't completely as awkward as I thought it would be.

"So, um, what are yo going to do after school?" I couldn't help but laugh slightly at how Kukai seemed to have struggled to find something to say.

"I have a bunch of work that I need to do." As I said that it dawned on me.

"I don't actually know who brought the work to my house actually. I know it wasn't Ciel or she would've told me same with my parents actually." I crossed my arms.

"Well, I brought some of your work by actually. I got it from school and gave it to your mom." I smiled slightly and shook my head.

"Yes well I have quite the pile of work so that's where I'll be after school. I also have to hope I can get notes from one of the others." I of course had managed to miss the lesson on a new topic so most of the work will be on something that I don't actually know at all.

"Here you two are; your drinks and food." The waitress cut off whatever Kukai had been about to say.

"Thank you." I smiled at her and she nodded.

"Enjoy your date." She walked away, leaving us both flustered but I did have to wonder why neither of us had corrected her on either of her assumptions.

I looked at the plate that was in front of me, it looked interesting and actually rather delicious. I hesitated but I tried it. The taste was interesting since you still taste the flaky pastry but the cream and hints of chocolate was a nice combination. Trusting the choice to Kukai seemed to have been a very good idea in this situation.

"So, what do you think?" I looked to Kukai and found that he was watching me; he hadn't taken a bite of his food yet.

"It's really good." He gave a signature grin.

"I'm glad." He picked up his food and began to eat.

We ate in somewhat silence after that, different lighthearted topics came up and it was just so relaxing. I didn't even really feel all that nervous after a couple of moments, despite how much this seemed like a date. We talked about things that we normally talked about like family, how things were going and I even got a small peek into what seemed to split his attention.

"Your parents?" I couldn't finish the question.

"Yeah, I don't actually tell people. I guess I just got tired of trying to hide it from you. So far the only people that know are Ciel and Tadase. Ciel was my childhood friend so it's no surprise she knows while Tadase snooped in my file a bit." I was surprised that Kukai had something like that in his past.

Getting a peek into his past revealed something that I hadn't exactly expected to learn considering the person sitting in front of me didn't seem to have suffered something such as losing his parents at a young age. Then again it might explain why Kukai always seems to live every day to its fullest and always seems to value all of his friends much more than others would.

"I don't like the looks I get when people find out." I nodded; I could imagine the looks that he would get once someone learned that about him.

"Well, that's just another part of you Kukai, just another part of the person that I." I stopped myself and placed a hand on my mouth, surprised by what I had almost just blurted out.

"You what?" He looked confused and interested but I felt my cheeks starting to flush.

I literally almost said 'the person that I love'. I couldn't believe that I had almost blurted that out let alone have that realization sneak up so suddenly upon me. I was still actually technically dating Tadase after all. Tadase even was probably close to the perfect boyfriend and hasn't really done anything wrong besides the fact that he lets Ikuto get to him.

"Are you ok Amu?" I nodded slowly, Kukai looked worried.

"Are you feeling alright?" I removed my hand from over my mouth and gulped.

"Yelp, perfectly fine." I gave him a smile hoping to throw off any more questions he might ask me.

"Are you sure?" I nodded; I'm really glad I stopped myself from say anything.

I jumped slightly but pulled out my phone when it went off. I flipped it open but I stared at the time that it displayed instead of opening the text. Time sure does fly when you're having fun apparently. I knew that though.

"Kukai, we have less than ten minutes to get to school." I looked at him and he blinked.

"Huh?" He didn't seem to believe it.

"Ten, minutes?" I nodded; we were at least fifteen minutes away.

"Well then, we probably should get going huh?" I nodded again then I think it really struck.

"Curse you time." He muttered it and stood up I didn't even get to even attempt to pull out my wallet before he had already put the money down for the bill.

"Money's on the table!" Kukai called it over his shoulder as he pulled me along behind him, once again dragging me behind him as he ran.

For some reason as we ran I couldn't help but remembering back to the days when I had just arrived in Seiyo. I remember the first time I had 'run' with Kukai, aka my 'training' to be the Joker of the Guardians, though thankfully this time I wasn't completely being dragged along behind him. We actually managed to reach school before the bell rang, which I was really grateful for. I did notice that some of the kids that were arrive were looking at us and giving an odd look to me while others shot looks at Kukai that almost seemed disgusted for some reason.

"I was hoping you two wouldn't be late." I looked up since I had bent over panting, Ciel stood there but I noticed that something had floated by her head but it was gone in the split second I had blinked.

"I was just about to text you two." Wait, if she didn't text me who did?

I hadn't gotten a good look at the text's sender or subject thanks to seeing what time it had been. I had assumed it was probably Ciel wondering where we were. Then again it might've been one of the other Guardians. I wouldn't be surprised if any of them had found out that I was awake and coming to school today in truth. Though I'm pretty sure I had seen her name.

"Oops, looks like we're late." Ciel muttered it as the bell rang.

"Great, our homeroom teacher isn't fun when it comes to late people." Kukai muttered it and I felt bad that they were both late, somehow feeling like I was at fault.

"Souma, Hinamori, Ciel." Hearing our names I looked for who spoke, it was boy that looked familiar yet I couldn't place from where.

He had messy black hair, it didn't even look like he attempted to comb or brush it in truth. The red streaks in his hair stood out too. His eyes were a lighter brown than I seen before. He yawned as he shifted the bag on his shoulder.

"Hurry if you guys don't want to get in trouble." I noticed that Kukai glared at him while Ciel sighed.

"Thorn, you really are an oddity you know. Despite the feud I'll accept it only this once." 'Thorn' shot a look at Ciel, it looked like a forced glare and I could almost spot a pang of sadness in his eyes but it was so smothered that I doubted my own thoughts.

"Yeah well it ain't like I'm doing for you people, I don't need my partner kicked out of class for the day and have to do the whole stupid project on my own." He walked away but Ciel followed after him, glancing at me and Kukai when we didn't move.

"Hurry up you two, Thorn's only so nice." I noticed the angry gleam in her eyes and that's probably why I followed her, it was never fun having her anger spill over on you.

"Kukai, who is he?" I was careful to ask the question quietly, Kukai glanced at me before shifting his eyes back to 'Thorn' who he was watching very closely.

"He's one of my classmates so he's a senior too. He keeps to himself and he's cold towards people. He often gets in trouble since he slacks off in class despite acing everything when he actually does his work. A lot of people are scared of him because he has a record apparently, I don't know what they mean by 'record' but it's enough that most people leave him alone." I looked at Thorn; the fact that he called Ciel by her name actually bothered me slightly.

"He also has something planned." Kukai seemed annoyed yet I noticed that Ciel glanced at us over her shoulder before looking away.

When we stopped I noticed that we were in front of my classroom. Why had Thorne led us here? He opened the door and suddenly I was pushed forward slightly, everyone in my class was staring and I heard Kukai grumble something.

"Sorry sensei, Hinamori-chan was helping us out. Since she knows Souma-kun and Ciel I asked her to help us with moving a few items to the room that the three of us are doing for the Winter Festival." I was surprised by Thorne's suddenly light tone and my teacher nodded while a small smile cracked her face.

"That's alright Chasen, helping your sempai is nice Hinamori. Please take your seat." I nodded but glanced back to them.

Thorne had already walked away and Ceil shot me a smile and mouthed 'good luck' before turning and catching up to Thorne. I heard her comment something about him still have a nice bone in his body. Kukai looked puzzled but shut the door. I glanced at my class, they were staring at me. I gulped and went to my seat. I sat down and just as I was getting situated a piece of folded paper ended up on my desk, the handwriting on the front gave away as to who wrote it. I sighed and glanced at Tadase, when he noticed that I had looked at him he looked away and pretended he hadn't done anything.

Today was going to be a long day.


	13. Chapter 13: Truth or Lies?

I'm really sorry about not updating on Saturday! Please forgive me! [Hehe, sorry I had an essay that I had to type up and submit for school.] Also I want to thank the **Guest** for the review [which made my day really good and literally got me through a crap day]. Also I want to thank everyone who is reading this and reviewing actually. Sorry for never actually saying thank you to you wonderful people before. Enjoy the chapter! Have a lovely night/day and I hope everyone has a Happy Thanksgiving [does everyone celebrate that? If not have a uh Happy Thursday?]

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**Chapter Thirteen:** Truth or Lies?

[Amu's P.O.V]

I listened to my teacher only halfway. My mind was split because part of me was listening but another wondered about the seeming character change of Thorn along with the note that Tadase had 'given' me a few moments ago. I glanced at the teacher, she was talking about some kind of essay that she wanted us to write. I tried to figure out what she was talking about as I toyed with the paper.

"The paper will be due after the Winter Festival; I will explain it again since Hinamori-chan joined us today. The paper will simply be about what occurs at the Winter Festival. So yes, that means that everyone needs to attend the Winter Festival." So, I guess I am going to the Winter Festival.

"Plus everyone will be rotating and helping with the café that everyone decided upon to have." I was torn between wanting to be happy about that and being slightly annoyed, the annoyed part probably came from the fact that I didn't really get an input into what will be happening.

"What about us who are in clubs? We have to help out in other places as well." I glanced at Tadase; of course he would ask the question then again he is the head of 'Character Council'.

"Well Hotori-kun that's why we're working in shifts. Surely you can step out for a little while, you are after all only Vice-President. I heard the President was even taking a leave of absence and was helping out in his class's event." I was a tad surprised.

Like Kukai I had reframed from entering the 'Character Council'. Tadase always told me that he was the 'president' but apparently he lied. The fact that he lied about that did make me think about what else he might've lied about. Yet if he wasn't the president then who was? I knew Nagihiko, Rima, and Yaya weren't the head of the 'Character Council'. Yaya's been busy with her ballet and school work so we haven't actually seen a lot of her actually now that I think about it; she's always in the library with Kairi during lunch since they're dating.

"No one understands why he does what he does." I glanced at Rima who sat beside me, she had muttered the words.

"Who's the president? Tadase always told me that he was." Rima glanced at me, she seemed slightly surprised.

"Chasen Aleksander, he's the president for the Council. He told us to call him Alek though, said that since he was born and raised in America until he was about thirteen he dislikes the being called 'Chasen'." I glanced at the teacher; didn't she call Thorn that though?

Was Thorn and the president related? Tadase did mention that the 'Character' Council had twins as members. From what I do remember hearing about Chasen Aleksander was all from Yaya when we got to hang out last a couple weeks before the whole accident. Yaya had gushed about how kind Aleksander was, said that he treated the younger members of the council almost as younger siblings. None of what Yaya really said would fit Thorn though; Thorn and Aleksander must be the twins that are in the council with them.

"Yaya gushed about him one day when we hung back now that I think about it." I even think she mentioned him being the president but I remember brushing it off as a mistake though since she had been talking so fast.

"Speaking of Yaya, you should've seen her flip out when she heard about what happened. Tadase had a headache for a day from Yaya 'scolding' him." I laughed slightly, that was probably a priceless moment that I wish that I could've seen.

"Nagi recorded it if you want to see the video later." I grinned at Rima.

"You know me a bit too well." She shrugged but smiled back.

"Hinamori." I looked the teacher, worried that I would get in trouble.

"Yes sensei?" With how blank her face was I didn't know if getting called out was bad or good.

"The class appointed you as one of the 'chefs' for the day." My shoulders fell slightly, I knew I never should've taken that cooking class that Suu talked me into and then let the whole cooking class taste what I made.

"You can make cakes, cookies and the like right?" I nodded, I would be honest.

"Good, if you don't feel good that day though please tell me. Leon-san said if need be she'd help out when she heard that you were one of the chiefs." I almost laughed; Ciel would've volunteered to cover for me.

"Hai sensei." She nodded and turned to the board.

"We will start preparing soon since the festival is just three days away." I blinked, wait I thought it was next week!

I looked from the teacher and pulled out my phone. I was surprised because the date that the phone displayed was off from what it should've been. Well that or I've seriously missed more days that I thought I did. My mom wouldn't exactly tell me how many days I spent in the hospital and I never really asked Kukai or Ciel. I glanced at the teacher, she still wasn't paying attention. I took a chance and checked the text, it bothered my mind. I wanted to know who the sender was.

[From: Ciel

Subject: Late 2 School

Hurry up or you'll be late.]

Ciel really had texted me earlier then. Why did she act like she hadn't texted us if she had texted me? I looked at the teacher and found her turning around. I slipped my phone into my pocket, thankfully without the teacher seeing it. I heard the slightest laugh so I shot a look to Nagi who sat behind Rima; he shook his head as he watched the teacher. I looked from him and chose to grab the note and open in.

"I will be dividing the class into separate groups so we can get it all set up." That was my cue to be able to stop paying attention; I could always ask Rima who I'm with later.

_Amu,_

_Sorry about what happened, I shouldn't have run like I did. I hope that you'll give me a chance to explain myself. I feel really bad about what I did and even worse about what happened. I actually went back to your house but when I returned you were gone. I hadn't even thought that you might've chased after me in truth. Meet me by the library at lunch, please. I still love you and trust you so I hope you'll give me a chance to make it up to you. I should know how Ikuto is by now._

_Love,_

_Tadase_

I sighed and glanced at Tadase. He didn't look at me but I noticed that he toyed with his pencil, fidgeting. I was about to look away when Tadase turned his head slightly and looked at me. When our eyes met he smiled at me and I saw the look in his eyes, he was hurt but not from what he saw if his note was anything to go off of.

"Hinamori-chan, are you alright with working with Fujisaki-kun on what we'll wear?" I looked to the teacher, breaking the small almost staring contest I had with Tadase.

"What about the recipes?" The question slipped out but she smiled.

"I'll be taking care of those so don't worry about that." I nodded.

"I'm fine with working with him." Did the teacher forget I was friends with Nagi?

"Very well then, you all have your jobs. We already have a basic design so we can get started." I glanced at Rima because I was confused.

"Where is out sensei and what has she done to sensei?" Kusukusu burst out laughing while Rima smiled, she smiled much more easily now of days.

"It's a competition between classes to see who can put on the best 'room'. Waka-sensei wants to win so she overworked us the past couple of days promising three days of no work so we can win the competition." I knew Waka-sensei was competitive but the fact she'd give us three days with no work surprised me still.

"So, how are you?" Rima only asked the question once everyone was getting with their groups.

"I'm doing pretty great for what happened actually." Rima gave me a look; she was trying to figure out if I was telling the truth or if I was just trying to make sure she wouldn't worry.

"You're sure?" I nodded.

"Yeah I'm positive, besides if I wasn't feeling good Kukai and Ciel wouldn't have let me come today." I noticed that Rima twitched hearing Ciel's name.

"Is something wrong?" Kukai had told me that I missed something that dealt with Ciel.

"Who exactly is Leon Ciel? She's so close to Kukai but none of us know her. Not to mention she has connections to Midnight, she's close enough that she might be doing what Kairi did when we first met him." I looked at Tadase when he spoke but I narrowed my eyes.

"Ciel isn't working with Midnight, that I can assure you. I've known Ciel since before I moved here to Seiyo so I know her." They were just like Ikuto was last night.

"Why do you people think she's with Midnight?" What happened that made them think that she was connected to them because even if her mother is the owner doesn't mean that she's a henchman even if she was it could just mean she was in a tight spot like Ikuto and Utau was in.

"We went after an X-Egg; you couldn't come because you had to take care of Ami. Utau and Ikuto showed up, apparently they'd been hunting this X-Egg for some reason. She showed up out of nowhere and she broke the X-Eggs that had gathered around that single X-Egg. She took one of the few surviving eggs before fleeing." I was stunned for multiple reasons.

I hadn't even known that Ciel could see Shugo Charas and X-Eggs. Yet the next fact was that she shattered people's dreams. Why would Ciel break eggs? She had to know what an X-Egg was. There was no way that she would've broken someone's dreams or stolen someone's dream. She wouldn't lie to me either. She told me she wasn't with Midnight but why else would she do something like that let alone how did she break X-Eggs?

"She wouldn't do that." I refused to believe that about her.

"There is no denying what we all saw Amu, she shattered them. She didn't even hesitate let alone give them a chance at escaping. She's broken countless eggs in truth." She wouldn't do that.

"You four need to start working." I didn't even move to look at the sensei when she spoke.

"We were just worried about Amu-chan; we haven't gotten to see her while she was recovering." Tadase spoke up and as per usual when he turned on his charms, which sadly effected teachers along with our peers, our teacher gave that annoying giggle.

"Oh, that's fine besides since you and Mashiro-chan are working together you could sit together as long as you work." She left and I curled my hands into fists.

"Ciel wouldn't work with her mother no matter what." They looked at me because I had done my best to hold back a spark of anger but was failing to hold back that anger.

"Yeah well sometimes people do things that we don't they would under usual circumstances, right Amu?" Tadase asked the question but for some reason I got what he was referencing.

"You didn't just indirectly reference what I think you did, did you?" Tadase blinked and then his eyes widened, as if he realized it himself.

"I didn't mean that." He looked away; he got quiet towards the end.

"If it's any consolation I don't think Ciel would be doing it because she wants to if she is, I think she could possibly be in a similar position Ikuto and Utau was in." Nagi's words were low and hesitant but Rima huffed.

"Why don't we focus on what we need to do?" I didn't want to be on the topic of Midnight and Ciel anymore.

"That might be for the best." Tadase took a seat and with a look from Rima she turned and started to talk about some kind of something about the council while I looked at Nagi who had sat in front of me, he was sitting backwards in his chair.

"Why do you take her side?" I muttered the question after a few moments; Nagi had paused in explaining the whole theme to me.

"You'll think my reason is crazy." I shook my head.

"I won't." He sighed and glanced at Rima.

"Rima thinks my reason is crazy but I guess Rima isn't very open to what happened since Kusukusu was almost taken by Midnight and had she not escaped somehow then Kusukusu could've been among that crowd of X-Eggs that night." I gulped but that did help me understand Rima's stand a bit better.

"How did she even break the X-Eggs? Even if I know Ciel I've never seen Shugo Charas for her." Nagi sighed and looked back to me.

"None of us did until that night; you would've thought that we would've known somehow from how often our Shugo Charas go off. The Shugo Chara we saw that night might be another reason why they think she only means harm, her Shugo Chara looked like it was supposed to be a demon." I frowned hearing that, what was Ciel doing with a demon Shugo Chara?

"I saw Ciel dance." The sudden words caught me off guard.

"That's how I know she isn't doing it by her own will if she is with Midnight." His words were so low.

"She used to be one of mother's students actually; she was one the best for her age. My mother actually used to have us dance together and had my mother had any say she would've continued and became big." I couldn't help but remember years ago when I was younger, Ciel used to rush off to a dance class she enjoyed but she did complain at times that it was hard yet she said that it gave her something else to focus on.

"Even now Ciel carries that vibe about her, a practiced façade that is meant to fool anyone so they don't see the weak girl beneath it slowly crumbling and buckling from the weight of her life. She didn't carry the harshness someone would who would ruthlessly destroy dreams. Maybe it doesn't make sense and not be very reliant but I can't just pretend that I didn't see what I saw." I bit my lip because it didn't really make sense to me but he's done a lot for the sake of dancing and he's grown up around it so he might really be able to read people by the way they dance.

"Ciel quit though when she was probably six or seven, it was shortly after her father died. Her mother pulled her out, calling dance a waste of time." How many of my friends did Ciel know or had met at least once already?

Yet my mind drifted back to the thought of Ciel dancing for some reason, Ciel never danced after her father's funeral that I do know. Perhaps there was more to her past than I knew. Maybe Ciel wasn't the person I thought her to be exactly. Ciel's been going through so much recently that maybe she's just losing her control and is stopping with bottling her feelings up or maybe that's how she gets her pent up emotions out. I haven't talked to Ciel in years so maybe the Ciel I knew in the past isn't the same Ciel that I knew now. They might look the same and share some of the same character traits but she might've changed over the years and I just haven't noticed. After all she's only been back around me for what two or three days now?

Ciel never mentioned Ethan after all. She cut all contact with me years ago and if she's been friends with Kukai for so long she must've known that Kukai and I were friends. Ciel might be hiding more than she's willing to let onto. She managed to hide her younger brother completely from both Kukai and me. I knew there were things that Ciel was hiding and what if one of those things was something as big as possibly being on the other side?

I didn't want to doubt Ciel but I didn't know what I could believe anymore.


	14. Chapter 14: What's Going To Happen?

**So, I do want to apologize for not updating for over a month. At first it was for Thanksgiving and then school picked up. Do teachers talk and decide to assign major projects all at once? I had three essays [**one of which was a research project techinically**] at once and not to mention that I got sick. Like seriously, my uvula swelled and everything [which resulted in one panicked hospital visit]. So yes, that's why it's taken so long. Between school, the bad timing of getting sick [**along with the make up work that came with that**], and just life it took a while to actually get this written. I'll see you guys in the next year so Happy [**early**] New Years!**

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**Chapter Fourteen:** What's Going To Happen?

I didn't know what to expect and I wasn't sure what I would say. The bell had rung for lunch, everyone had left but I had stayed back to talk to the teacher. She was pretty nice when I asked about how I would complete everything without the notes; even if Kukai offered to help I would still need the notes probably because no one remembered everything perfectly. I glanced at the notebook she had handed to me; someone had made me a copy of her instructor's notes by hand. I had forgotten to sit it on my desk before I left the classroom and I didn't feel like going back to sit it down.

"Amu!" I looked to Tadase when he called my name.

"I'm really glad that you came." I gave a small smile since I wasn't sure what would happen.

"Well, there are things we need to talk about." He nodded and shifted nervously on his feet.

"Why don't we find somewhere more, private to talk?" He nodded after a couple of seconds, I didn't want to have this discussion out where just anyone could hear; he went back to being so shy which was slightly odd since I thought we were past the whole shy side.

"Is everything ok Tadase?" I asked that after walking for about five minutes in silence, he usually talked about a bunch of things even if they might be slightly random but they were always light hearted; I was surprise he hadn't started to ask how I was.

"I should be asking you that." I sighed.

Why was it so awkward between us suddenly?

"Well, I'm a bit tired but that's it, so why don't you answer my question now? Something seems to be up with you." He sighed softly but smiled at me after a few seconds.

"I just keep thinking too much about what could've happened." I sighed; this topic is definitely a mood killer.

"Well why don't you stop thinking about that and just take it as a, lesson." I didn't want him to think about it but at the same time I was getting a bit tired of the annoying situations that him and Ikuto always got me into.

"Why can't you just tell Ikuto that you're not interested?" I stared at his back for a couple of seconds.

He had stopped in front of a door; he had paused in the motions of opening it. I glanced at the room that he lead me to and it didn't take much thought for me to figure out that he had led me to where the self-titled 'Character Council', which in truth was kind of the Student Council, met.

"Don't you think I told Ikuto that already?" Ikuto always seems to love to tease me so I'm not even sure how much of his antics were in the sake of teasing me and what were real.

"I don't know Amu." I bit my lip slightly to fight the urge to say that perhaps he needed to talk to Ikuto as well instead of just me.

"Why did you kiss Ikuto?" He thinks that I.

"Seriously?" Knowing that he thought I would actually do something like that stung.

"Why do you think I would do that? We're dating; I wouldn't do something like that to you Tadase. Trust me." I was angry but hurt at the same time, my emotions couldn't decide on which one would be in control at the moment.

I also didn't like how out of character that comment had been for Tadase. I knew it was out of character so it stood out to me. I didn't know how he would respond to this; I don't have any experience in this kind of situation after all. When someone gets hurt or they think someone they love might not love them, do they go out of their normal 'character'?

"I." Tadase seemed at a loss for words suddenly.

I took a step backwards and I tried to stay still, refusing to run off and not hear him out. I wouldn't be the typical high school girl that started drama because of some misunderstanding. I was just happy that no one was around to hear anything that was happening. I gripped the notebook just a little tighter, I was kind of happy now that I had forgotten to set it on my desk before coming.

"I'm waiting." I whispered the words but even I heard how the words sounded almost detached.

"What am I supposed to believe? We've drifted recently and it seemed like you started to hang out more and more Ikuto." That was true but in truth I haven't actually hung out with Ikuto as much as he thought I did probably.

"Do you know why we drifted apart?" I knew why but I wanted to know if he knew; the reason why we drifted is that we both got busy and our communication slowed.

"I took on too much with the council and something was happening with you, I never actually asked what happened." I closed my eyes.

I took a deep breath but for some reason this morning flashed in my mind. No I knew why I remembered having breakfast with Kukai this morning. When did I even stop loving Tadase? When did I even start to love Kukai? I missed the happy little bubbles away from the world I could get with someone I was close to. Tadase always kind of dragged other things into our times or Ikuto would pop in and ruin them at times. Ikuto was just one twisted ball of yarn where the beginnings and endings just weren't clear.

"I was dealing with a problem, one that I probably should've asked for help with." I wouldn't tell Tadase about the fact that I had been trying to get Daichi back for Kukai without anyone knowing.

"What problem?" I opened my eyes and stared at the ground.

"Someone close to me, they had an X put on their egg." I would mention Ami's Egg instead because I would need their help trying to find her egg.

"Who?" Tadase had turned and I looked up.

I paused before I spoke. For a second I saw someone through the small crack in the door. I heard something drop and that had Tadase turn around and open the door. Who just heard all of that? I entered the room after Tadase but there was no one in the room. Something wasn't right though.

"Tadase, there's an X Egg." Kiseki came from wherever he hid now of days, hearing about an X Egg unsettled me though for some reason.

"Do you know where?" Kiseki glanced at me since I had beat Tadase from saying anything.

"An odd place actually." I was confused by that but Kiseki flew across the room before landing on a bag that sat on a desk, the desk was next to the window.

"Wait, isn't that." Tadase seemed stunned for some reason so I looked the bag over just a bit better.

The bag did kind of standout despite looking normal at first glance. There was a patch sown onto the flap, it was some kind of symbol that reminded me a knot almost. Attached to the strap was a white ribbon that had a small sun charm that hung from one end of the ribbon. In truth the ribbon looked ripped actually.

"How can I help you guys?" I jumped and looked behind me.

I stared at Thorn; he stood at the door smiling. He looked far different than how he was this morning. Then again if my earlier thoughts were correct then he might be a twin, perhaps an identical twin. His hair was a bit more tamed and he seemed far more relaxed.

"Kiseki senses an X Egg." Tadase almost sounded accusing while Thorn, or possibly his twin, sighed.

"Ah yes, the X Egg. I was hoping that perhaps Rima and Nagi could help me take care of that later on." I watched as he crossed the room and went to the bag; I guess it was his then.

"Where did you get the X Egg Alek?" Alek hummed slightly as he pulled the Egg out.

"That doesn't exactly matter now does it?" He showed the Egg and I felt like yelling.

The Egg while darkened by the X was still highly familiar. My grip loosened on the notebook that I was holding while Kiseki and Tadase seemed floored but I wasn't surprised besides by the fact that Alek had the egg. The blue and orange of the egg was dark while the X was placed right over the star. Why did Alek have to pull out that egg out of all possible eggs?

"That, that's Kukai's Egg." Tadase barely got the words out yet I noticed that despite Alek looking surprised that he wasn't, somehow he knew.

"He's one of your friends then?" Tadase nodded at Alek's question but I stared.

"You knew." Tadase turned and looked at me.

"You were off chasing Daichi on your own." I didn't like how Tadase was talking, I couldn't tell if he was somehow overwhelmed or if he was trying to accuse me of something.

"It wasn't exactly my thing to tell people, it was up to Kukai to tell." Even if Kukai hadn't known himself about Daichi it still hadn't been my place to tell anyone else.

"Now, now why don't we calm down? We don't need any fights to happen now!" Tadase and I both jumped, a Shugo Chara had popped up between us from nowhere.

"Synne, what are you doing out? I told you to stay in your egg." Alek's voice had dropped but I stared the Shugo Chara that had popped up from nowhere, she was different from others I've seen before.

Her hair was a radiant yellowish red color, almost like the sun. Her eyes were a molten orange color that drew me in and made the warm and comforting aura that exuded from her only more pronounced. She wore a sundress that was a light yellow color while her feet were bear. Yet what stood out from others was the fact that there seemed to be a scar or crack that cut across her face and down her arm. The mark threw me off and made me stare more at the mark than I probably should.

"It's no fun staying in there besides I don't wanna see them fight!" Synne turned and faced Alek yet slowly thoughts were coming back.

"Um, who is she?" Boys didn't exactly have girl Shugo Charas, as far as I knew at least.

"Synne, she belongs to one of my. One of my dear friends, things hasn't exactly been the best though so I've been watching out for Synne for a while now." Alek's voice had a haunted touch to it and I felt bad asking suddenly.

"What happened to her to cause that mark Alek?" I noticed that both Alek and Synne flinched at Tadase's question.

"It's best not to ask those kinds of questions Tadase." Kiseki sounded bothered but I had a feeling from his tone and look that he knew something about what happened or at least knew what caused the mark that could either be a scar or an actual crack.

"Why not?" I was getting a feeling that I knew what happened by the passing second.

"My owner, she's an interesting contradiction. She believes in me but she doesn't believe in herself. A contradiction that should've caused me to disappear but I remain. My egg cracked though and is steadily breaking; it's easier to stay in my egg though because that means fewer questions." Synne flew towards Alek and hid behind him which caused him to sigh.

"Synne, why don't you go back to your egg? Or perhaps you can go and find Damien, he is quite down today and he could use some cheering up in truth." Alek's voice was soft as he addressed Synne and after a few seconds she left but I noticed how Kiseki never once took his eyes off of her.

"What is her owner's name?" Alek gave a low laugh.

"Sorry Tadase but that's private information. I understand that you're used to being the head of these councils and all but as you know I'm the president here not you so don't try to pry information out of me." I watched as Alek picked his bag up and put it over his shoulder, Kukai's egg held in his hands.

"We should be helping your friend Alek." Alek shook his head and despite the topic I was kind of glad that Tadase seemed to have forgotten about what we had been talking about before because I really didn't know how to handle that without getting annoyed.

"My friend doesn't want help; she refuses any help that's offered to her not to mention that after my last attempt to help her she won't talk to me anymore." Why would someone push someone away simply because they want to help?

"Sometimes you have to help people even though they don't want to be helped." Alek looked at Daichi's egg and narrowed his eyes.

"Um, I can heal Daichi's egg." They can have their debate later; right now I want to help Daichi since he's right in front of me.

"You can?" I nodded and I saw that Alek looked me over.

"Yes, I have actually been trying to get Daichi so I could heal him." Alek looked me over and something bothered me for some reason.

He was probably looking for some sign of my Shugo Charas. They hadn't come with me this morning because Dia told them not to for some reason. A reason I bet I could guess if I looked back to their good mood and giggles. They had come earlier on after I arrived to class but they had gone off with Kusukusu, Rhythm, and Temari earlier on during class as well.

"She really can, she would've joined the council but she decided against it." Alek nodded but narrowed his eyes slightly.

"Why haven't I seen your Charas before then?" I shrugged.

"I don't know since they usually go off with Kusukusu and the others. They kind of go with the card suits." I watched as he seemed to grip Daichi's egg just a little tighter.

"Of course, they hang around Elira. No wonder I don't know them. You're _her_ friend which also explains why you want the egg." I stepped back, suddenly he glared at me and he lost that friendly aura he had.

I didn't like the fact that he glared at me or the way he felt so dangerous. Something was off about him. Something wasn't good with the fact that they were friends with Elira I guess. I didn't even know who Elira was. The fact that I was getting judge and the fact that he had such a flip of character made me think that Elira wasn't good.

"Who's Elira?" Tadase asked it but Alek only gave a sneer.

"Someone that you needed worry about, Elira knows better than to show her face. By the way this egg; you won't get your hands on it and make sure Elira knows that to." My eyes widened when his grip tightened on Daichi's egg, cracks appeared.

"Alek!" Kiseki and Tadase both shouted his name but he didn't flinch, or stop.


	15. Chapter 15: Broken

**I am so sorry for not updating it months! I feel really bad about not updating since everyone was waiting on me, especially where I left it off at! I hope you guys can forgive me for this long overdue update. :'( Forgive me, please!**

**... On a different note. I hope you guys enjoy this chapter.**

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**Chapter Fifteen:** Broken

"Alek!" Kiseki and Tadase both shouted his name but he didn't flinch, or stop.

It seemed like time just stopped. Was Alek going to stand there and just break Daichi's Egg? He wouldn't actually do that, would he? What would happen to Kukai if Daichi's egg got broke? When Daichi's egg cracked more everything crashed in.

"Stop it!" I yelled it at him yet I don't know what I thought that would do.

Alek didn't stop and the cracks spread even farther. Tadase wasn't moving and was just gaping. I don't know what possessed me but the next thing I know I had stepped forward since Alek wasn't that far from but that wasn't the surprising part, I punched him. Alek actually did stop, he dropped Daichi's egg but I managed to catch his egg. My hand ached but I cradled Daichi's egg.

"Why were you doing that!" I yelled at Alek as I turned look at him.

It happened in a split second.

"Amu!" Tadase scrambled to me and I was dazed.

My hand wasn't the only thing that ached now. I placed a hand on my cheek but flinched. Apparently Alek did not like getting punched. Tadase was helping me sit up but I looked at Alek. His eyes were wide and he stared at me, seeming as if he was the surprised one. I looked away from him and to my hand, something had dripped onto it. I stared at the red liquid, blood.

"Alek, that was too far!" Tadase sounded angry but if he wasn't I really would've questioned the relationship we were in.

"Shit, I um, I didn't mean to do that! I swear I didn't mean to do that." My jaw ached; oh this will be fun to explain to my parents later.

I stood up slowly and thankfully I was able to stand on my own. Tadase stood up and had his hands on my shoulders since I did sway a little. I wiped at my mouth hoping that there wouldn't be any more blood because it really wouldn't be good if I was bleeding. There was only a little blood that was smeared on my hand. I took a few shaky steps back away from Alek, Tadase didn't move though.

"I'm sorry, ok; I didn't mean to hit you. Please, you have to believe me on that one." I continued to back away and I left the room quickly.

Tadase called my name but I just kept going; I also ducked into the first bathroom I passed. I went to the sink and after carefully sitting Daichi's cracked egg down I looked in the mirror. Thankfully I didn't seem to be bleeding anymore but I could already see a slight bruise forming. That wasn't going to be fun to explain. I washed my face but as I did that I looked over Daichi's egg.

I spent months trying to catch up to Daichi so I could heal him then his X-Egg just falls into my hands. How did Alek get his egg though? I knew Daichi and Daichi even struggled against whatever had happened to him, he tried to make it so I could heal him but it just didn't work. Daichi's Egg never sat still either so why is it so calm now?

"Amu, is that, is that Daichi's egg?" I jumped slightly and looked to Miki; she just floated there looking surprised.

"Where did you come from?" Miki drifted over to Daichi's egg.

"Elira's sister showed up, she said that something bad was going to happen. Elira told me to come find you while she raced off to tell someone else." I was surprised when Miki mentioned Elira.

"Who is Elira?" Miki looked at me.

"She's a cat Chara; we made friends with her a while ago. She said that we couldn't talk about her though, said that there were certain people who didn't like her so it would be better if no one knew we were friends with her." I frowned and I thought back to Alek's reaction and how he got so angry when he figured out that my Charas knew Elira.

"Why don't people like her?" Why did Alek get so angry the moment he knew that my Shugo Charas hung around her?

"Why? She never really told us but she said once that there were some misunderstandings." I was careful as I picked up Daichi's Egg, afraid that his egg would break.

"Who is her owner?" Miki shook her head.

"I don't know, Elira never told us who her owner was or anything personal really." Whoever Elira was certainly did keep secrets.

"Do you know where Suu is?" Even if a Character Transformation with Miki would work I wanted to Transform with Suu, the delicacy of Amulet Clover might be better suited for Daichi's cracked egg.

"She was in the Cooking Class Room last, she was with a Chara that she met and befriended recently named Wis." I nodded and I left the bathroom heading towards where Suu would be, hopefully.

I held Daichi's egg carefully yet protectively. No one but people with Charas would see his egg so I hoped everyone would be busy and wouldn't see because it would look awkward. I glanced down when I realized that I had lost the notebook, left with Alek and Tadase. I shook my head and looked back to ahead of me. I would get it later if not from Tadase I could get Rima to grab it for me. I wouldn't be going back around Alek if I had the choice not to.

When we entered the room I took in the sight before me. Suu floated around the head of a girl, the girl had orange pinkish hair that was in low pigtails. Suu wasn't the only Shugo Chara that floated around the girl's head though, a green haired Chara floated there as well as a Chara that had dark red hair up in a messy bun.

"The rose I think should go at the top; it is something that represents her pretty well." The red haired Chara spoke as she floated around whatever the girl was working on.

"Suu!" The girl stopped and they look at us since Miki called Suu's name.

"Miki, Amu-chan ~desu!" Suu smiled and rushed to Miki and me.

"Oh, are you her owner?" I nodded at the girl's question and she smiled.

"I'm Akiyama Akira, hope you don't mind that Suu's been coming here for a while. She apparently loves watching me tinker around in here." She pushed up her glasses that had started to slip down.

"I'm Neo." The red haired Chara waved as she introduced herself.

"The silent one is Wisdom; we all just call her Wis though." The green haired Chara, Wis, bowed her head slightly when Neo introduced her.

"Ah no, I just need Suu." Akira's eyes flickered to Daichi's egg and I bit my lip not knowing what to expect.

"That egg!" I was surprised when Wis nearly yelled, she bolted forwards.

"Where did you get that egg?" Wis looked at me, she looked started but happy.

"I um, I was talking to Tadase but then Alek showed up and apparently he had the egg in his bag." Wis narrowed her eyes slightly.

"_He_ had it?" Wis sounded pissed.

"Yes?" Why was she so angry?

"Why is the egg cracked?" Wis had curled her hands into fists and I think she was trying to contain her anger.

"Alek was going to shatter it." Wis let out a growl like sound.

"Wis." Akira muttered her name before carefully grabbing her.

"Did you know?" I was confused by Wis's question, not sure who she was addressing.

"No, if I knew I would've said something. You know I would've said something Wis." Akira knew Alek then.

"That's Daichi's Egg ~desu." Suu muttered the words and drifted lower so she was on level with Daichi's egg.

"You must know Kukai." I nodded at Akira's words.

"I'm Hinamori Amu." She was surprised but she smiled.

"So _you're_ 'Amu', I finally know who he's always talking about." Akira chuckled and I gulped, Kukai talked to her about me?

"Don't worry he doesn't say anything bad about you, in truth." Neo stopped talking when she received a look from Akira.

"Neo, shush secrets, do not share." Neo nodded and drifted back to the cake that Akira was probably working on before I came in.

"Um, I'm going to go. It was nice meeting you Akiyama-chan." She looked at me and nodded.

"It was pleasure to meet you to Hinamori-chan, also if you need help covering that up just come back and I'll help you." I flinched, she had pointed at her own cheek that corresponded with the cheek that was probably starting to really bruise.

"If you don't mind, can I ask what happened though?" I took a step back and glanced at Daichi's Egg.

"Alek." She breathed his name and I flinched.

"He hit you?" I tightened my grip on Daichi's egg unconsciously but then I saw a crack spread dangerously.

I took a glance at her and decided to leave the question hanging. I fled the room with Miki and Suu in tow. Where would there be no one? I needed somewhere private that people wouldn't bother me. If this was Elementary School then I could've gone to the Royal Garden. I stopped when I realized where I could go, one of the old classrooms that no one ever used. Everyone thought it was locked but well, it wasn't. It used to be but then one day Kukai oddly decided to cut class; it was last year around this time. I bit my lip, thinking back to what he told me it actually does make sense.

"Amu-chan, are you ok ~desu?" I nodded and gave a small smile to Suu.

"Just a little shaken up I guess." Too many surprises for one day have occurred.

I retraced my steps a little before I ended up in front of the classroom that I had only come to a handful of times. Most of those times were because of Kukai actually. There was only one time I've actually come here by myself, that was when I was hiding from everyone during a Halloween Festival we sort of had two years ago but only Kukai was a student here at the time so we had come as guests. I entered the room and thankfully Kukai wasn't here, while it might've been nice to talk to him it wouldn't have been very fun to explain everything that happened.

"Who is Alek?" Miki asked the question as she landed on the desk that I sat Daichi's egg on.

"He's the President of the 'Character' Council." I couldn't help but laugh slightly, they were all supposed to be good people but after getting punched and him trying to break Daichi's egg I found that kind of funny.

"Kusukusu and Temari said that he was really nice though, even Rhythm said that he was cool ~desu." They were confused but even I was since he wasn't like what Yaya had described him as.

"Maybe he's not what everyone thinks he is." After all even Tadase seemed pretty surprised when he had hit me.

"Suu, are you up for Character Transformation?" Suu nodded and smiled while I took a deep breath, hoping that even 'recovering' I would be able to do it.

"My heart, unlock." I did the old motions with my hands and thankfully I did manage to come out as Amulet Clover.

"I was worried for a second that I would be too 'weak' for it." Miki just smiled slightly.

"Remember, you gotta believe Amu-chan." With a small pop I had the whisk.

"Think we can manage a small bit instead of a lot Suu? We managed it once or twice." We wouldn't need a large scale 'Remake Honey'.

"_Yes ~desu."_ I flourished the whisk and I smiled, just enough honey was appearing.

"Remake Honey." I muttered the words since I didn't want to draw any attention and it was hard to know when someone would walk down a hall and pass in front of a door or where everyone was.

I watched was a happy smile as Daichi's Egg lost the dark coloring and the X. The cracks were being mended as well and I felt proud. I managed to heal and fix Daichi's Egg. Kukai would hopefully feel a bit better as well. Half of his bad mood might've been contributed to the fact that Daichi had an X for some reason. The next mystery to be solved would be about how Daichi received an X since I knew Kukai didn't give up on his dream.

"We did it Amu-chan ~desu!" Suu cheered as she popped out of our Character Transformation.

"We finally rescued Daichi!" Miki went back to standing beside Daichi's egg; I couldn't help but laugh slightly.

"You seem awfully happy about that Miki." Miki just looked at me, crossed her arms and tried to keep a neutral face.

"We worked hard trying to heal him so I'm happy we finally managed to heal him." I bent down slightly and rested my arms on the desk, staring at Daichi's Egg.

"Yeah, we did work hard didn't we?" How long until Daichi woke up?

"Do you think Daichi will come out of his Egg soon ~desu?" Suu landed on the desk as well.

Some Charas would emerge from their egg immediately after being healed while others would wait for a while. I would think Daichi would've been one of the ones that came out immediately but he might've used a lot strength trying to fight whatever had put the X on him. The whole time he had been X-Daichi he seemed to be consciously trying to fight something.

"Hopefully, it would be nice if he did." I really wanted to see him before I told Kukai; I wanted to make sure that he was fine even if his egg looked fine.

I watched his egg, in no rush to return to class besides lunch wasn't over yet. I didn't want to return to class and possibly have to deal with Tadase. Alek might even be with Tadase considering what happened, I wouldn't put it pass Tadase to try and have Alek apologize. I sighed and rested my head on my arms.

"Are you alright Amu-chan ~desu?" I laid my unbruised cheek on my arms, looking at Suu and Miki.

"I'm tired that's all." Maybe I should've stayed home today, no if I had stayed home who's to say that I would've managed to heal Daichi any time soon?

"Maybe you should go home." My mom did say that I could go home early; all I had to do was call.

"Maybe I will." How would I explain the bruise on my cheek to her though?

"How do I explain the bruise though? I doubt okaasan will be happy if I told her that Alek hit me and I doubt that I can make something up." What would even cause a bruise like this besides being hit?

"Tsk, this won't do." I jumped and spun as I stood up.

"Ciel?" I was stunned and surprised.

She stood there leaning on the door that I hadn't even heard open or close. She didn't look happy; her eyes were a stormy darky color. She was angry. She walked over and she stopped in front of me. I flinched when she placed a finger on my cheek while she clicked her tongue.

"You should go home, put some ice on it and go to sleep if you're tired. Tell your mom that you got elbow by accident if you don't want to tell the truth." I was surprised by her saying that, she was still looking at the bruise or where it would be.

"How do you even know that my mom would believe that?" She gave me a look.

"You and your mother always believed me when I said those stupid lies, all you have to do is be convincing." I flinched but not because she touched the bruise but because I knew what she referenced, back before my parents knew about how her mother and step-father were.

"I'm fine." She gave me a look before turning around and pulling out her phone.

"Yes, yes, sure you are. Next time when something happens come to me. I said I'd watch you didn't I?" She dialed a number and put the phone to her ear.

"Ciel?" She glanced at me.

"Ah Hinamori-san, yes everything is fine. Amu just feels really tired and while helping me set up one of the exhibits for the Winter Festival I elbowed her by accident." I was surprised.

"I feel really bad, especially since a nasty bruise is forming. You'll be here in twenty minutes? Alright, I'll keep her company and make sure everything is fine. No, I'm fine. I'll stay; I have a test I need to make up after lunch anyways. Yes, have a good day. I'll see you later." She hung up and looked at me.

"Why did you tell okaasan that?" She sighed and put her phone into her pocket.

"Would you like to figure out a lie to tell her about why Chasen hit you? Surely you can't tell her that 'he was going break Daichi's egg so I hit him but after I hit him he hit me back', now can you?" I gulped, I hadn't even thought about that part.

"Wait, how did you know that?" I hadn't told her that and she wasn't there.

"Akira told me, she sent Wis to me after you left." Akira knew Ciel as well then.

"How did she know that you knew me?" She sighed.

"Akira knows many things plus Suu loves to talk, then again who can blame her? Akira has a way of having people open up and talking to her." Ciel crossed her arms, watching me yet again.

"When are you going to tell Kukai that you healed Daichi?" I glanced at Daichi's egg.

"I want to wait until Daichi comes out." I didn't know why I wouldn't just tell him now.

"You know if you wait he'll hear it from Tadase right?" I looked at her.

"What are you playing at Ciel?" Something wasn't right.

"What do you mean?" She looked confused, caught off guard.

"I heard about how you shattered X-Eggs, how you have a demon Chara." Her eyes widened slightly.

"What did Ikuto see that made him think you worked with Midnight? Why do all of my friends think you're working with Midnight?" Slowly she narrowed her eyes.

"You think I'm working with them aren't you?" I curled my hands into fists.

"I don't know what to think anymore." She took a step back away from me.

"You are a master at lying, your childhood made sure of that." Ciel gave a bitter laugh and turned around.

"Be like that then. Be like those idiots and think of me what you will." She walked to the door and opened it.

"I'm an idiot, you know? Thinking that you'd believe me over your precious friends since you called us sisters, even dared to use that card against me just last night." Her words were harsh.

"I see where your trust and loyalty lies, going as low as throwing up my childhood." She stepped out and lent her head back; looking me dead in the eyes but her eyes looked dead and devoid of any emotion.

"Hope you feel better, Hinamori." I cringed hearing that come from her, the door slamming shut made me shutter.

How long has it been since Ciel was so cold to me? When was the last time she even referred to me by my last name? I bit my lip and closed my eyes. Why did I just say all of that? What did I just do?

"Amu-chan ~desu?" I shook my head.

"I'm fine." I muttered the words and curled my hands into fists.


	16. Chapter 16: Questionable

I am so sorry! I feel really bad about this one because I actually had the chapter written. I had fun last month dealing with a very bad allergic reaction that put me on medicine that pretty much knocked me out and I barely slept unless I took the medicine. I had to clean my whole place and try to figure out where the allergic reaction was caused from and it took a long while. I'm actually still dealing with the allergic reaction but it's starting to clear up thankfully. I'm still barely sleeping though.

Also thanks for the reviews! They really warm my heart and they make me carry on, especially when life gets hard on me. I'm really glad that people enjoy this story, I had been so hesitant to post anything at first. Thanks for reading and I hope everyone continues to enjoy the story.

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**Chapter Sixteen:** Questionable

My eyes were wide and I stared into the dead eyes that I had hoped to never see again. The eyes terrified me, something that was often hard to accomplish. There was no one here, no one to witness the startling change of character for her. She gripped my collar tightly.

"You're pissing me off. Every time I turn around you're making a stupid mistake. I'm getting tired of this game we play." Her voice was deadly.

"Please, let's not do this here." I reached up and placed my hands on hers.

"You chose this place when you did what you did." I bit my lip, her and using ties to choke people.

"Please, not here. We don't need people being any the wiser; do you want them to know everything?" She narrowed her eyes at me.

"You're the one that's pretty much telling everyone." I gripped her hands a little tighter, her grip was loosening slowly.

"We're on different sides after all." She shoved me backwards, letting go of my collar.

"If this is a battle of sides then your winning, having everyone believing you're the good guy." I forced a smirk when she spoke.

"You are the bad guy after all, aren't you? The sides are just as they should be." She glared at me.

[Akira's P.O.V]

I sat in the kitchen, staring at the cake that I had made. My mind was wondering away from me. Things were getting interesting. Alek was starting a battle that hopefully would end up with the right side winning. He was dragging people down into this battle that I really hope doesn't come down to an actual fight.

"Akiyama-sempai, we're having a meeting." I blinked and glanced to the short blonde girl, Mashiro Rima.

I blinked a couple of times before putting my glasses back on so the world would come back into focus. What would this meeting be about now? We were already working as much as we could about the X-Egg population between school and homework. I wasn't even sure how much of that battle is even worth the time we're putting in. For every egg we manage to purify there are three more in its place. That front was starting to look very bleak.

"Did Alek say what it was about?" I looked from her and out the window.

"Something concerning Midnight." I sighed but stood from the stool I was sitting on.

"Very well." I left my cake sitting on the counter since no one would mess with it, even if they did it didn't matter very much since I messed up on it.

I followed after Rima, my mind wondering back to Hinamori Amu. She had held Daichi's Egg in her hands, having gotten it from Alek. Why did Alek have Daichi's Egg? How had he attained Daichi's Egg? I mean Daichi never sat still long enough for us to really even spot his egg before he was gone. The few times he stayed was the few times that one of Midnight's henchmen managed to perform a Character Transformation with X-Daichi but even then he was only present for about two seconds before entering the Character Transformation.

"Rima-chan, do you know why Alek had Daichi's egg?" Rima stopped.

"What?" I stared at her stiff posture.

"Didn't you know? I thought he must've told everyone in the meeting that we had this morning." I had missed the meeting because Ciel and I had gone out for the breakfast we had planned for nearly a week now, it was my treat to celebrate her birthday even if it was late but it took me a while to save up money so we could go to the place that I wanted to take her to.

"He never mentioned having Daichi's Egg. Why are you asking?" She looked at me but I tilted my head.

"I bumped into one of Kukai's friends, Hinamori Amu. She had Daichi's Egg, it was pretty messed up. She said that she had gotten it from Alek, Daichi's Egg had an X on it though so I figured you and Nagi would know since you two usually handle purifications." She stared at me as if had grown a second head.

"Alek never mentioned Daichi's Egg, let alone that he had an X Egg in his possession." I frowned and pushed my glasses up.

What are you aiming at Alek?

"I see, maybe that's what he was going to tell us this afternoon. Keep it to yourself please? He'll probably explain so let him do the explaining instead of starting something." She looked away but nodded.

I continued on leaving her behind. I was bothered now. Alek always told Rima and Nagi about X Eggs if he didn't tell me. Perhaps he told Tadase and had Tadase pass a message along to Utau? No, Utau refused to help us anymore for some reason. She's stayed far away for a while now, actually since that night that Ciel made off with one of the X Eggs. Why hadn't Alek told one of us so we could purify the Egg?

"Akiyama-sempai, do you know how Amu-chan got Daichi's Egg?" I sighed, I had a guess from the bruise on her cheek and the way the egg was cracked.

"No, Tadase-kun might've mentioned to him at some point that Hinamori-chan could heal Eggs as well. Alek might've handed her the egg to purify it." I doubt he handed that egg over if she got hit by Alek.

"Akiyama-sempai, you're hiding something again." I laughed and waved my hand over my shoulder.

"Nope, just have a lot on my mind. I still haven't worked everything out with my brother." I was still surprised that my brother just straight up dropped out of school.

"Hikaru-sempai dropping out really did come as a surprise." My eye twitched, why must everyone keep saying his name when they know that right now it's like a slap in the face?

I was glad when we reached the club room. I opened the door and I noticed that for once everyone was present. I was a bit surprised to see Yaya, since she was always busy with something. Even if everyone else seemed serious she was talking Kairi's ear off, he had chosen to come here to school just for Yaya from what I've been told. Unlike the others though I wasn't a part of their Elementary Group so I didn't know the full story or all of the details.

"Ah, I'm glad you could make it Ki-chan." I sighed and looked to Alek, he was leaning on windowsill.

"Why do you insist on calling me that childish nickname Alek?" He started to call me that after he hung out with Ciel and I once, Ciel usually called me that since it was a childhood nickname from her.

"I can't help it after all, you're about the only source of information I have anymore." He gave me a look but I stopped.

"What happened to your face?" He had a bruise and I couldn't help but think back to when Amu had entered the room, did Amu hit him?

"Nothing you need to worry about Ki-chan, we should be getting this meeting along since lunch will be over soon. I'm happy that everyone could come." He smiled that smile that most girls would fall for.

"Sure it isn't." I took my seat while I noticed that Rima had gone to Nagi, she whispering and something told me that she was telling him all about what I had said about Daichi's Egg.

"Why don't you tell them Tadase, I know you're bursting to tell them what happened earlier." Everyone looked at Tadase but I looked Alek.

"What happened, Tadase-kun?" Why did Alek have Daichi's Egg and why did it end up in the hands of Amu instead of mine or Rima and Nagi's hands?

"Amu-chan and I were going to talk earlier but we ended up coming here for some privacy since I knew no one would be here." Tadase, you should know that this is Alek's safe haven during lunch ever since earlier this year.

"We ended up coming in here because I thought someone was in here then Kiseki sensed an X-Egg, it's location threw me off since it was in Alek's bag." Alek had it with him from the start of school more than likely, he saw me this morning so he could've handed it off then.

"Alek came in and pulled out the X-Egg, it wasn't just any egg though. The egg belonged to Daichi." Everyone was surprised.

"That's not true. Kukai would never put an X on his egg! Kukai would've told us if Daichi had an X too, he would've gotten our help!" Yaya was so quick to reject it but she was right, Kukai wouldn't put an X on his dream and he didn't know about what happened and he thought Daichi had gone back to his heart.

"It's true; Daichi's Egg had an X on it." Spit out the other part.

"Where is Daichi's Egg now?" That was a good question, Amu had it but after healing it she might've given Daichi back to Kukai or gave him to Ciel or even kept Daichi's Egg.

"Hinamori-san took it, what she did with it I don't know. Daichi's egg was cracked pretty badly though, it might've broken in truth. It was beyond fixing." Was Daichi's Egg broken before Amu got it and possibly before Alek got it?

"How long did you have his egg?" Alek looked at me, everyone had stilled.

"You saw me this morning so if you had it this morning you could've handed it off to me." Alek sighed and shook his head.

"My teacher had us working on the festival, I wondered away when Damien sensed an X-Egg. I was surprised that it was Daichi's egg, I managed to get it to stop with Damien's Character Transformation. I was going to hand it over during this meeting." Something was off about that answer but I couldn't tell what, besides the fact that him getting Daichi's Egg dealt with that ever so secret transformation with Damien that he never allowed anyone to see.

"When Amu-chan and I were here I told Alek that she could heal Daichi's egg, that she would probably be able to fix his egg." I looked at Tadase, was he covering for Alek or did Amu lie to me earlier?

"Once she had Daichi's egg she was gone, she left the room pretty quickly, even left behind her notebook." I stared at Alek, the bruise forming on his cheek and the bruise that Amu had me leaning towards what Amu told me.

"Ne, ne Alek-kun, where did the bruise come from? Hina-chan had a bruise on her face too." I looked at Neo when she suddenly asked that, eyes were on her but Alek sighed once more yet I saw the glare he gave to her even if it was only there for a couple of seconds.

"If you must know I got hit during the fight with Daichi, I didn't want to tell you guys because that's rather embarrassing to admit." There was a twinge of red to his cheek.

"What about Hina-chan's bruise, Tada-kun?" I glanced at Tadase but he looked away.

"I don't know but she said something about hitting it on something this morning before she came this morning." I bit my lip and looked to the desktop.

I didn't feel good about this. I felt like something wasn't right. There was a missing puzzle piece to this and it bothered me. What could the missing piece be? Alek and Tadase were telling the same story so the only one who wasn't telling the same was Amu. Amu looked too shaken earlier though and the way Wis reacted told me that Alek might've been capable of doing something like that. I didn't want to believe that Alek would do that though. Alek and Tadase haven't lied before and I didn't know Amu but from the stories I've heard from Kukai and Ciel I don't think she would make something like that up.

"She didn't have a bruise earlier Tadase." Rima's voice was flat.

"Maybe she didn't want to worry us and had make-up on? I don't know because I didn't really ask about it, I'm kind of careful where I step with her currently since we were sort of fighting." I looked at Alek, he was staring out the window.

"Is there another reason you called this meeting Alek?" His eyes snapped to me, he looked like he was caught doing something he didn't want anyone to know about for some reason.

"Not really but I do want to issue a warning." He straightened up and he sunk back to having that blank look.

"What kind of warning?" Yaya was worried then again she knew that Alek only issued a general warning when things weren't right.

"This actually goes back to your debate about why Daichi's egg had an X on it. I think Midnight is able to turn any egg into an X-Egg, even if the owner believes in their dreams." I frowned hearing that because that colored things differently.

"How do they do that though?" I have a feeling I knew what he might say.

"It's similar to how Easter worked I think, Midnight has enough resources to work like Easter did." I stood up but no one really paid any mind since I didn't usually sit all the way through these meetings.

"You mean they use music." As I spoke I looked out the window and I was surprised.

Ciel sat outside below one of the trees. Ciel was working on something and from how things were spread out I knew she'd been there for a while. I glanced at Alek remembering his reaction. I smiled slightly and shook my head. I wasn't even surprised that Ciel was sitting outside despite the fact that it was cold out, there wasn't any snow and Ciel never seemed bothered by the cold all that much. That or she just wanted to numb something.

"Do you think Ciel might be doing anything?" I bit my lip, I really hated how they all accused her of things.

"Ciel had Daichi's Egg, that's the egg she rushed off with that one night. Ciel might be behind the cracks on his egg." They were starting to say something but I spun around, grabbing Alek's arm.

"That is going too far Alek." They stared at me.

"What do you mean Aki-sempai? Ciel has every reason to work with Midnight so would it be too surprising if she was behind that, maybe even behind Daichi's Egg getting an X on it." I glared at Alek even though it had been Rima who spoke.

"Ciel and Kukai have been friends since they were children, they've leaned on each through everything. Ciel would _never_ betray him like that, she would rather go back to her abusive mother before betraying Kukai like that." I growled the words out and Alek grabbed my hand.

"Ki-chan, I know you're her friend but don't try to defend her. I trust you, even if your mother works for Midnight as well." He closed his eyes and gave that smile, one that was warning.

"You're friends with her?" I removed my hand from Alek's arm when Kairi asked the question.

"You're mother works at Midnight?" The two questions had been asked at the same time.

"Yes, I'm friends with her and my mother works at Midnight." I glared at Alek.

"You're playing with fire here Alek." He opened his eyes, that warning smile never left his lips.

"Aren't you the one playing with fire Ki-chan?" I bit my lip.

Of course I was.

"I'm working with you guys aren't I?" I turned to address the others, damage control time.

"My mother started to work at Midnight before they started this whole thing. My mother does what she can to tell me what's going on, that's how I've gotten some of my information actually. She's about to quit and actually go to a different job but she's hung around to monitor what's been going on." Yes, my mother knew about Shugo Charas but she had one growing up apparently so it wasn't surprising that she remembered.

"How can we know that's the truth?" Tadase was hesitant asking it but I sighed.

"Here's the thing, you guys blindly believe Alek and you guys have trusted me before then. Why don't you guys continue to trust me or will you simply stop trusting me?" That made Tadase squirm.

"Also I do hope you guys know that blindly hating Ciel and if you guys do anything too bad to her might result in both Hinamori-san and Kukai-kun hating you guys. Hinamori-san sees her as an older sister and Kukai-kun sees her as his sister." They were also playing with fire in a way.

"Amu-chan would never hate us." Rima declared it with such firmness that I smiled slightly.

"I don't know her but I've seen Kukai turn his back on people before." I looked at Alek as I said that.

"Right Alek? Kukai has chosen Ciel over other friends before, especially since he's known her for so long." Alek's smile fell slightly.

"Alek-sempai, were you friends with Kukai?" Yaya asked it, probably voicing the question they all had.

"Yes, he and I were friends." Alek looked back out the window and even though the others didn't see it I did, his eyes settled onto Ciel's form.

I watched out the window, Ciel lifted her head probably sensing Alek's eyes on her. She was used to not always being noticed so when people stared she'd notice usually. She stared at me first before glancing to Alek. Her face soured and she looked away. She packed her stuff up and left quickly but she did look back, not at me but to Alek.

"You really are crazy Alek." He shot me glare.

"Shut it Akira." He growled the words out but I turned around, they stared at us confused.


	17. Chapter 17: Plans

**I meant to have this up on Friday but I had to plan for a social gathering and then I had to get everything ready on Saturday. I hope you guys like the chapter. Homework also got in the way but I managed to get this up in some kind of timely manner, right?**

**When I first wrote this the chapter ended differently but when I looked back I didn't like where I had taken it but I only edited the last part a little instead of changing a whole lot. You can probably tell where it had been going from that. Hope you guys enjoy the chapter. I'll try to update when I can.**

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**Chapter Seventeen:** Plans

[Kukai's P.O.V]

I stared at the sky. Today for lunch I was alone. Ciel had studying that she had to do so she wouldn't be eating lunch with me. I had no clue where Amu was. I sighed and closed my eyes. It felt like a weight had been lifted off of my chest. It felt like some of the heavier thoughts were finally gone; I had finally managed to brighter my outlook on things a bit.

"Kukai." I opened my eyes and looked to her when she called my name.

"What happened?!" My eyes were wide and I stood up, rushing towards her.

Golden eyes were watery and a bruise had blossomed on her cheek. The bruise looked like someone had punched her in her face. She looked close to broken for some reason. What happened and how did she know where to find me? No one knew that I ever spent my lunch time up here, especially since it was cold out.

"I made a horrible mistake." Tears slowly started to come from her but she swiped away her tears.

"What are you talking about?" She wrapped her arms around herself.

"I said something to Ciel that I didn't mean and she hates me now." I gave a slight smile.

"I doubt Ciel hates you." I stopped because she shot me a look.

"I was hurt and I practically told her that I didn't believe her about her not working with Midnight." I frowned; to Ciel that probably felt like a betrayal on Amu's part.

"I told her that I didn't know what to think anymore because her childhood made her a master of lies and deceit. Ikuto saw something that made him accuse her of working with Midnight and the others all believe that she's working with Midnight. I just, I felt so horrible that for a moment I questioned everything." I raised my hands slowly and placed my hands on her shoulder.

"Hey, don't worry about that ok? I'm sure Ciel knows that you didn't mean it and I'll talk to her. She gets a bit moody now of days, especially since she had fingers pointed at her and everything she does it watched by Tadase and the others." I wrapped my arms around her and hugged her.

We stood there and my heart ached slightly.

"Hinamori, Souma." I looked to the stairwell door.

"What do you want Kimura?" He smirked and pulled his hand out of his pocket.

"Just thought maybe you two would help me." My eyes were wide and I stared at what he had in his hand.

"Again, what do you want?" I held Amu tighter, stopping her from turning around because she didn't need to, considering everything that's happened.

"My partner is being a bit slow, I need to stir up some trouble." He looked at the Egg in his hand.

"If we say no?" He looked at me, smirking and applied pressure to the Egg so cracks appeared.

"I'll shatter this egg right here and now." That's when Amu manage to push me back and turn around.

"Suu!" Amu stared at the Egg and covered her mouth.

"I was surprised to know that your Shugo Chara had such an effective Transformation, I decided to grab this one because I don't need you spoiling my fun again. An Egg for an Egg, you took my last puppet so I had to replace him somehow." He made a mistake.

"Also showing myself isn't really stupid, it's just like when you guys figured out about Utau and Ikuto. You two can't really do much publically besides no one knows about my partner." Who was he working with?

"If you're referencing Utau and Ikuto then the situation is probably pretty similar." Kimura laughed at Amu's words.

"You're smart and you're right." I doubt we'll get his partner's name out of him.

"Why don't you give us Suu's Egg?" He looked at me.

"Do you think I'm an idiot Souma?" I grabbed Amu's arm, she didn't say whatever she wanted to.

"You know about the whole Black Diamond thing that Utau had going right?" I hated what I would say but it would work.

"Of course, I thought about snagging Dia and turning her but Suu would cause more trouble if her Remake Honey was used. We've been lucky as of yet that Hinamori stayed out of this battle, then again Leon's done her best to keep Hinamori far from this." Ciel did play some kind of role then.

"Don't you think an X-Transformation with Suu would cause the 'trouble' you wanted. If Remake Honey can heal a massive amount of X-Eggs an X-Suu probably would have an ability that can create a massive amount of X-Eggs." I hated the thought of what would come but it was one of the only things I could think of that would save Suu.

"Huh, that's an interesting idea for sure." Kimura grinned and looked at the egg.

"Kukai." I looked at Amu, she stared at me surprised.

"That would only be a guarantee if Hinamori used the Egg though since X-Transformations very upon who uses them." I shook my head at Amu hoping she'd understand.

"If she'll do it I'll give her the Egg." I nodded.

"Good, I'll see you two at the assembly after lunch." He began to go down the stairs but I kept Amu from chasing after him.

"Let me go!" I looked at her, she was glaring at me.

"I have to get Suu back! I don't know what's gotten into you but I would never dare to do anything as horrible as put Xs on people's dreams!" She struggled but she was still weak from what happened, she didn't have the strength to actually make me let go.

"Amu, calm down!" She glared at me.

"No!" I yanked her towards me and her eyes went wide.

"You know me, do you really think I'd do that either?" She gulped and backed away when I growled the words out, I let go of her and grabbed my head after that.

"I have a plan so just go along with it will you?" She shook slightly but stood there, staring at me.

"He's going to give you Suu's Egg right? What can you do once you have her egg?" She blinked and then her eyes dropped to the ground.

"Heal it." I sighed.

"Exactly, now calm down." She looked at me.

"Sorry." I shook my head.

"It's fine." I didn't really take any of it seriously.

We stood there in silence for a few moments. I bit my lip. I couldn't believe I had lost my temper there for a couple of seconds. A part of me was bothered by the fact that she thought I would actually do something like that so I lied to her slightly.

"Wait, okaasan supposed to pick me up after lunch." Amu looked at me and I sighed.

"Why?" She shifted on her feet.

"Before I said those things to Ciel, she called okaasan and told her that I was tired on top of having been accidently elbowed by Ciel." I crossed my arms.

"Why don't you text or call her, tell her that Ciel was exaggerating and your fine?" We had to get Suu back or something bad could happen.

"I'll try." She pulled out her phone and called her mother.

"Okaasan, I'm fine." Amu glanced at me before turning around.

"Ciel was exaggerating it a bit okaasan. I'm tired but not anymore than I usually am. School is boring and that's why I'm tired." After a couple moments Amu muttered something that I didn't hear before she hung up.

"She'll accept it but she says that Ciel has to walk me home after school." She looked at me.

"Ciel probably won't be talking to me by the time school is over." I scratched the back of my head.

"How about I walk you home instead? I'll talk Ciel into going and picking her brother up from school and we can say I walked you home since she went to pick him up?" I could probably manage to convince her of that even if I just learned that she had a brother at all.

"Guess we should head to the gym now." Amu spoke as the bell rung.

"Yeah." Neither of us moved.

I wasn't sure how this would go. I didn't know what to expect at all. Kimura probably had a Shugo Chara as well and I didn't know what he was all capable of doing. It might come down to a fight and I wouldn't be able to help. I didn't have Daichi so I would have to hope that Tadase and the others would help out.

"Kukai, did you hear about how he said I took his last 'puppet'?" I nodded.

"I know what he meant." My eyes widened because when she turned around she had Daichi's egg in her hands.

"Daichi had an X on his egg, I know you didn't put it on him. I'm pretty sure Kimura or his partner can put Xs on eggs no matter what." The words that she spoke bounced around my head.

"He must've learned about Suu because I Character Transformed with Suu to heal Daichi because Daichi's egg had a lot of cracks." I actually hesitated before taking Daichi's egg out of Amu's hands.

"Why did his egg have cracks?" I could've lost Daichi.

"I'm not sure completely but for some reason, Chasen-sempai had his egg. After he found out that my Charas hung around 'Elira' he was going to shatter Daichi's egg." My eyes went wide.

"Thorn was going to." She shook her head confusing me.

"Alek did." I stared at her.

"Aleksander is Thorn's real name Amu." Her eyes widened.

"But, Alek was so nice! Tadase said that the council had twins so I assumed." I sighed and shook my head, understanding a bit now.

"No, the twins are Akiyama Akira and Akiyama Hikaru." She was stunned but I couldn't blame her.

"But how?" Thorn really was quite the actor wasn't he?

"Very few people see that 'nice' side of his, it used to be that his cruel side that didn't get seen often. After something happened to one of his Shugo Charas he changed, sometimes I think his Chara that disappeared turned into an X Egg and that's why he flipped so drastically." I did remember when Thorn actually wasn't called Thorn but was just known as Alek, he had been a really great friend.

"He still has Damien though." She was confused but I nodded.

"He had two Shugo Charas, there was Damien and then there was Ramon. Ramon vanished one day a year almost two now." Ramon might've gone back to his heart but when I first asked about Ramon he had flinched, given me a look that was pained and asked that I didn't mention Ramon again.

"I see." Amu muttered the words while I looked back to Daichi's egg.

"Why would he try to shatter Daichi's Egg though? Even if we don't talk or get along much, we were friends." Something wasn't right with his actions.

"Whoever Elira is probably the reason, Elira wanted Daichi's egg." Elria, I would have to figure out who Elira was.

"I asked Miki about Elira and she told me that Elira was a Shugo Chara, they didn't know who her owner is though. She's a cat Chara though." My eye twitched.

"Did they say her, color scheme?" Could Elira be the name of the cat Chara that Daichi was hanging out with before he vanished?

"She has white hair and red cat ears." I looked at Ran who popped out of Amu's coat hood.

"Elira, she's not a good Chara." Amu stared at me along with Ran, Miki had popped out now and even she stared at me.

"Why are you accusing Elira of being bad?" I looked at Daichi's Egg.

"Before Daichi vanished, meaning before he got an X on his egg, he was hanging out with a cat Chara a lot that had white hair and red ears." Elira was connected to the reason why Daichi got an X put on him, the blonde hair Chara was probably Kimura's then.

"Oh no, that would explain why she wouldn't tell us her owner's name. That would explain the reason she gave to, she said that people didn't like her owner and it would be best we didn't know her owner's name." Elira's owner was Kimura's partner then.

"If we find Elira then we know who Kimura's partner is." We would know who to watch then.

"Even if we know who they are, what are we going to do?" I closed my eyes.

"There has to be something that we would be able to do." That's when the lightbulb went off.

"We could get the owner of Midnight in trouble, cause enough bad publicity that they'd be too busy to do anything but try to salvage their image." I opened my eyes but Amu stared at me.

"How would we do that?" Ciel would have to agree though, no.

"Never mind, forget I brought it up ok?" I looked at Daichi's egg as I spoke.

I couldn't believe I had actually thought about asking Ciel to relive everything she faced as a child. Yes if the world knew what Ciel's mother had done to her they would have to try and salvage their image –especially since they were heavy in the kids industry – which would make them back off yet it was too cruel of a thing to ask of Ciel.

"We should focus on how we're going to get Suu back then on how we're going to find Elira's owner." Miki spoke, cutting the tense atmosphere.

"Will we be able to rescue Suu?" Amu voice's shook, she was afraid but I couldn't blame her since she almost lost Dia.

"Don't worry, everything will work out." Amu and I both looked at Dia, she floated above us with a smile on her face.


	18. Chapter 18: X Chara

Alright, so this chapter took a while to get out. I'm sorry for that. I'm going tell the truth. First it was because I had finals to study for then it was because something that I've been fighting for a while in a silent battle decided to sneak attack me. I never spoke about it before because I don't want to use it as an excuse or to get attention, I rather not really talk about it actually but since I'm struggling with it really badly right now and it is making writing hard I'm going to tell you guys. I've struggled with depression for years now. This isn't an excuse or me trying to get attention, this is me admitting a fault that I have that may impact this story and cause either slow updates or sadly a long break.

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**Chapter Eighteen:** X Chara

[Amu's P.O.V]

I followed after Kukai, nervous as to what would happen. I wasn't completely sure how this would play out. What would Rima and the others do when they see stuff to start hitting the fan? Will they fight with me when everything starts to happen or is there a possibility that Suu will go out of control and we'll be forced to fight her?

"Why are you still here?" I stopped and looked from the floor.

Ciel stood in front of Kukai and me. Her eyes lacked the usual light, they looked the same as they did when she left the classroom. Why was she concerned about me if she walked out the way she did? I opened my mouth to apologize but no words would come out. I couldn't find my voice for some reason.

"Ciel, she feels better now. She was only a bit worn out from healing Daichi." Ciel's gaze shifted to Kukai.

"Oh, so she gave his egg to you? I thought she was going to hold onto that until she was certain that he was absolutely ok." Ciel looked back to me.

"You should go home Hinamori. You don't need to be here." I was surprised by her harsh words.

"Ciel!" Ciel turned her head but I stared, Kimura had called out to her.

"Are you going to help me set the stuff up or not?" I stared as Ciel sighed but flashed him a small smile.

"I'll be there in a second Izumi." Ciel was on first name basis with Kimura?

"How do you know Kimura?" Ciel looked at me when I asked the question.

"We're working together, he's been my partner for a while now." My mouth was dry, did she just admit to what I think she did?

"Hurry up Ciel, this is time sensitive, we have to have everything set up and done before the stupid 'Character Council' shows up." Ciel sighed but turned and began to walk towards Kimura.

Ciel was really working with him then. They were going to do whatever it was that Kimura had planned with the Eggs before Rima and the others showed up then. If the others weren't here and he thought I would be helping them then it meant that there weren't anyone else that could heal the X Eggs that were bound to be created here.

"Oh, that's right, Hinamori-chan." Kimura looked back to me, grinning.

"You'll find your friend behind the curtains, mind working your magic before that stupid council gets here?" I gulped because I knew this could go multiple of ways.

"Izumi, if you're planning something tell me now." Eyes were suddenly on Ciel and Kimura but I stared to, Ciel had yanked Kimura back.

"Oh don't worry your pretty little head Ciel. You're my partner today right? Remember the reason." Ciel shouldered Kimura rather harshly as she stormed passed him.

"Let the show begin." Kimura spoke the words as he grinned, the lights started to dim.

"Thanks for coming everyone!" Kimura's voice echoed through the room as he got up onto the stage easily.

"As promised today, before the boring meeting we're bound to be having, we'll be showing the project that our drama department has been working on." He held his arms out to the side and I saw it then, he was an actor because he was able to change his actions and personality in a matter of seconds without the need of a Character Change.

"Hit it director-chan!" I glanced to where the equipment was, Ciel was up there.

I looked at Kukai when he nudged me. He nodded towards the curtains and I took a deep breath. I would go the next part alone. I found my way behind the curtains and it was pitch black. Between the drawn curtains and lights having been shut off there was no light back here. A chill raced through my body when suddenly something lit up, on a small table was Suu's Egg but it was dark with an X on it.

"Hurry up, Hinamori." I blinked and focused on Kimura, he had stepped in from the other side and he was using his phone to light up his face.

"You don't want to back out now or you'll lose Suu for forever." I curled my hands into fists and I approached her egg.

I wasn't even sure if I was strong enough to handle a second Character Transformation. I wasn't sure how this would work out since I had never tried to do an X Character Transformation. I wasn't sure what was all back here so I couldn't just grab her egg and run away. I wouldn't even be able to find my way back the way I came. I paused by the table, there was some kind of commotion on the outside of the curtain but it sounded projected.

"What's the sound?" I spoked as I hesitated to touch Suu's egg.

"The movie that my group filmed, it won a contest and is being featured in Midnight's Student Creations festival. A good way for us small fries to get noticed by the big shots." Of course it'd lead back to Midnight.

How did I know that though? I already had a feeling that everything would lead back to Midnight. The 'project' shouldn't have surprised me. I touched Suu's Egg with a fingertip but once I touched it I wanted to yank my finger back. Her Egg was nearly freezing and there had been a current of strong negative energy that hummed from the egg and shot up my arm. My heart pang with a sense of deep regret and worthlessness. This was from the fact that there was an X on Suu's Egg, I knew it was but the feelings that were surrounding my heart and mind was nearly suffocating.

"Hurry up, we don't have all day Hinamori." I gulped and tried to swallow back the lump that risen to my throat and the tears that threatened to spill from my eyes.

"Suu, are you ready?" I whispered the words and I watched as the now dark green egg cracked.

"I'm sorry you ended up like this Suu." I muttered the words so lowly I wasn't even sure if they made it out of my mouth.

There was small crack sound and out of the egg came Suu. I thought that I was ready to see the difference of Suu's appearance but I wasn't ready. Suu looked so, different. Her pale blonde hair was now dark and it wasn't neat either. Her hair was left free and messy. She had a black headband that had dark green ruffles, her Clover sat upon the headband but it had the X on it. Her eyes were a dark green and devoid of all light. Her maid outfit was a tight black dress that was strapless while the dark green apron over top of it was only over her waist. She didn't have that innocent kind of vibe to her anymore.

"Suu." I breathed her name out as another wave of painful emotions threatened to pull me down below their surfaces.

"Amu-chan." Ran sounded nervous as she spoke, her and the others were hiding but I had a feeling from the look that Kimura gave he had heard.

"Please hurry up, we don't have much time before that stupid Council gets here. They won't get their nose out of business, trying to figure out who works for Midnight." Kimura approached me as he spoke.

"Look, their eggs will be easy to take." He had easily found the seam of the curtain and opened it for me to see out.

I stared out at the audience. Most students that had gathered were just sitting completely still as if they were made of stone. A few Eggs had already drifted out of their owners and had an X on them. I gulped as I stared at Kukai who stood at the other end of the room. This was a risky plan that I don't think we should've attempted, we should've went to Rima and them and told them. Then again Kukai had thought it up on the spot to save Suu.

"Character Transform now." I shivered, Kimura was so close to me now and his voice was harsh.

"If you won't work with me I'll just have someone else work with your Chara, I could probably find someone else that could work." I gulped once more as he dropped the curtain.

"Suu." I closed my eyes and raised my hands.

I don't know what to expect.

"My heart: Unlock." I did the usual motion.

My breath caught when I felt the tingling sensation that usually accompanied my Character Transformations. I opened my eyes slightly and I found myself surrounded by the usual bubble but it wasn't so normal. Everything was darker and just depressing. X-Suu stared into my eyes before her egg appeared and she came towards me and I barely found the strength to hold this already. The moment that X-Suu entered my heart though for the Character Transformation though it felt like ice ran through my blood.

My uniform vanished and a tight black dress appeared. The dress hugged every part of my body and there was only the thin type of straps that wrapped around my neck. A dark green apron appeared tied tightly at my waist while black doll like shoes appeared on my feet. Dark green nearly black fingerless gloves appeared and my hair whipped into my face and I felt something hug my head and as the bubble vanished I touched it to find it was the head band that had the clover on it that bore the X.

"Dusk Clover." The words slipped out of my mouth without a thought.

"Well look at that." Kimura whistled as he looked me over.

I wanted to retort to him but my head wouldn't turn. My body would respond. I tried to move my arms but my arms wouldn't move. I tried to move my fingers but they wouldn't move. I was starting to freak out now. Why couldn't I control myself? Was it because this was an X-Character Transformation? I heard a chuckle echo inside of my head before suddenly the curtain was opened once more by Kimura.

"Did you think that I hadn't thought that maybe you and Kukai were planning on using this chance to take your Chara back Hinamori?" He stepped out from behind the curtain while still holding it open for me.

My body moved and once there was light I noticed something that I hadn't in the darkness. Strings of silver, reminding me of metal wires actually, was wrapped around my limbs. The string on my right arm twitched and my right arm moved. I was stunned and I realized what was going on.

"Figured it out?" I looked at Kimura who was laughing, the only thing I could move was my eyes.

"You're a mere puppet now. Dance to the tune of Midnight!" My body moved at Kimura's words and I looked out.

Some people had left since I had looked out moments ago. Many eggs were floating but there was still more eggs hidden within and fighting the losing battle. My body jumped from the stage but as I jumped my arm raised up. A black whisk with a dark green bow appeared in my hands. I didn't want to do this. I didn't want to do this! I tried to struggle but my body wouldn't respond to anything I told it to do.

"What kind of dream would do that!" Kukai's voice broke the concentration and a ball that had formed from nearly thin air shot through the air, pass me and towards where Kimura was.

"Oh my, you can Character Transform as well eh Souma? I didn't count on that. Perhaps my other toy will play-" There was a crash behind me but I didn't get to see what happened.

"I won't let you hurt another egg!" The voice was high and something shot through the air passed me.

A Devil Chara shot past me, it held an X Egg surprisingly since from what I knew Shugo Charas didn't have the strength to hold Eggs on their own. My eyes widened because my empty hand shot out and tried to grab the Devil Chara. Even fighting it my hand closed around the Devil Chara.

"Let go of me!" The Chara shouted at the top of her voice.

Her black hair was becoming even more of a mess while her dark red eyes flashed dangerously. Her wings worked quickly as they tried to do something while the tail she had actually cut into my palm. Her black gloved hands held tight to the egg she was practically carrying.

"Shatter the egg!" Kimura's voice rung out and while the Chara stilled my hand started to tighten.

No. I refused to do this! I have to fight this somehow. I tried to fight it but my body still wouldn't respond to me. My eyes focused on the egg though and it felt like my heart stopped. The egg while darkened was pink and white in a checkered pattern. The X that marred the egg was over top of the symbol so I didn't know what it was. Yet that wasn't what made my heart start thudding painfully. The pattern was the same as Ami's Egg.

_Ami has a third egg but it has an X on it._

"Let go of her!" Kukai shout broke the trance and I realized how badly I was crushing the Chara and how the egg had cracked.

Suddenly I found myself able to move. I released the Chara and the black whisk disappeared. I cradled the Devil Chara and the Egg in my hands. The Devil Chara was gasping for hair. I moved away from the strings that had released me quickly. I backed towards Kukai, he had become Sky Jack at some point. Everyone who was still here was passed out so no one had seen anything. It would be a matter of time now though.

"No way." Kukai's unbelieving words made me look to the stage.

Kimura had gotten to his feet but the person beside him stunned me. Beside him stood his partner, undoubtedly his partner at that. The silver strings that had been used to control me pooled at their feet along with being loosely wrapped around their fingers.

"Why?" I barely forced the word out.

I really didn't want to believe it. It was one thing when it was only a thought. It was a different thing though _knowing_ the truth. It was different knowing that Midnight really had been that close. I thought something was wrong. The actions, demeanor, and the recent things I had seen made me think about the possibility that things weren't what they had seemed.

"How could you do that!? How could you turn your back on her and work with Midnight!? How could you betray her like that?!" Kukai was angry, oh he was pissed off.

"Didn't you care about her at all!?" Kukai stepped forwards and I didn't know what to expect from him.

"Aw, why are so surprised? You two should've seen it coming, you especially Kukai. I find it hilarious though that you didn't even consider the possibility though." Kukai growled at the words that were directed at him.

"Even the Council figured it out. I'm surprised they figured it out while you two didn't. You two should've been able to see it long before they did." The two Midnight Agents where laughing while Kukai growled and despite being stunned I wasn't able to summon up much emotions.

"How could you do everything you did?" I muttered the words and I felt an odd pulse.

"You crossed a line, you took the trust that you had and you've thrown it into our faces!" Flashes of memories flashed through my mind and the pulse grew stronger.


	19. Chapter 19: Reveal

**I'm sorry if the chapter is bad. I had this planned for so long but once I got to trying to write it, nothing would come out right. Can you forgive for that and the long wait? I know this story had irregular updates and then it got pretty regular but updates may go back to being irregular and I hope you guys understand. I'm dealing with things [the note last chapter along with some drama with my friend] and trying to force myself to stick to a schedule with something I originally started as a release is wearing me down and is sucking out the passion and desire for this story. I'm not saying updates will or won't be irregular but there is a possibility that they will be and I would like everyone to be aware of it at least. I also hope everyone understands.**

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**Chapter Nineteen:** Reveal

"You practically led a crusade against Ciel. You pointed at her at every chance you got while the whole time, you were the second Midnight Agent. How could you Alek?" Kukai seemed to struggle to get the words out while Alek laughed.

"You would be surprised by my reason, you really would be Kukai." He raised his hands and I was ready for the strings to move.

There was a 'pop' and gone was the fancy puppeteer clothes that Alek had worn. Yet his uniform was only seen for a couple of seconds because it was merely a 'switch'. Alek now wore a black shirt that had a long black coat over top of it while he wore black pants topped off with black boots. He had frayed and tattered black wings and curved horns coming from his head.

"Echo Ripple." Alek grinned as he spoke.

"How about you handle them Alek and I'll go deal with the angel without wings." I was confused but Kimura took off, yet there was a flash of a mask appearing on the side of his before he vanished behind a set of doors.

"It'd be my pleasure." Alek grinned and laughed a bit – I wasn't sure what to expect in truth.

A blast of X Energy came hurtling at Kukai and I. Kukai jumped to dodge it but my body wouldn't listen to me completely but even hit by the X Energy I didn't feel the normal effects. I was confused until I remembered what Character Transformation I was in. I was still in a Character Transformation with Suu, with Suu who still had an X on her. I watched as the X Eggs that were present rushed to crowd around Alek. A huge mass of X Energy swirled around Alek as the X Eggs revolved around him. I couldn't believe that he worked with Midnight. He was the _President_ of the Character Council. He should be one of the biggest enemies of Midnight. Instead of being an enemy he worked with them.

"Tch, I forgot that wouldn't affect you." My eyes widened because Alek moved so fast I hadn't even had time to even attempt to react.

I slammed into the wall from how hard he had hit me. That Transformation had to have increased his strength because that was a lot more force than he had packed earlier when he hit me. I watched as Kukai tried to hit Alek but his Golden Victory Shot was blocked by X Egg Energy while X Eggs rushed at him which drove him back. I needed to switch out of this Transformation but I didn't know how that'd happen. I couldn't feel the usual 'switch' I had gotten used to over the years.

"Just stay down and that'd be better for everyone." Alek spoke as I stood up but a rush of X Eggs came at me.

I had to do something. I moved by memory and jumped but I had caused the whisk to appear. I was already going through the motions of 'Remake Honey' when it crashed back in that yet again this was the X Character Transformation. Yet that also served to cause the surprise that came when the usual liquid golden brown honey appeared swallowing up X Eggs and purifying them.

"How?" I landed as I breathed the stunned word yet as the honey vanished I saw the spark of light.

"Synne!" Alek shouted the name and I remembered the Chara that had been with him.

"I'm sorry Alek but I cannot let you do this!" The Chara stunned me because I saw her slip out of _me_.

The moment she floated in front of me I felt like my energy was gone and I sunk to my knees. Why was I fighting still? Why was I trying to help everyone?

"Why are you working against me?! You've stuck with me since this started but now you're against me?" What were they talking about?

"Only because a part of her still cared about you even after what you did!" I stared at the Chara as she floated backwards and approached me.

"Heart Resonance." Her voice seemed to echo as she slipped back within my heart – I wasn't sure if it was in the room or in my head but once she did whatever the dark thoughts that crashed in was gone.

"Of course, Synne might as well be the physical manifestation of her heart. You chose the wrong side though but at least now I know how Hinamori can still control herself." X Eggs rushed me again but Kukai appeared and I was a bit surprised to see him able to create a star shaped shield that actually purified the X Eggs when they went through it.

"Um, last time I checked I couldn't do that." Kukai sounded as surprised as I felt.

"Sometimes things aren't what they seem to be." The voice came from behind us while what looked like a crayon drawn cage appeared around Alek.

"Sometimes there are things we don't know about people – our friends or even ourselves." Crayon drawn bubbles appeared around the X Eggs and halted them while I looked behind us.

"Akiyama-chan." She offered a smile to me while I took her outfit.

She wore a messy and paint splattered apron over top of a slim short sleeve orange short while black pants were below. Her hair was pulled into a messy bun while she held a sketch pad in one hand while also having it braced on her arm. In her other hand she held a rainbow colored crayon. Floating beside her was - what was most likely a second Shugo Chara – the Chara had long frost colored hair while a bird's feather was stuck behind her ear while wearing a pale blue dress that had white lace but a black bow tied behind her back.

"If you're here the others are bound to be here as well." Alek spoke as he raised his hand and my eyes widened – the X Egg that I had previously been holding was in his hand somehow.

"I don't need them to know just yet – I lied that they knew by the way, had been trying to provoke you into doing something interesting with that X Chara Transformation but since Synne is using that stupid ability of hers to 'light that darkness' it's useless." There was a swirl of X Egg Energy and he seemed to just vanish.

"Do you think you can heal the rest Hinamori-chan?" I looked at Akiyama but before I could respond there was a 'pop'.

I looked to my hands numbly and fought to keep my eyes open. The Character Transformation had worn off. Suu's X Egg sat on the ground while Synne rested lightly on top of Suu's Egg. She shook and was extremely pale.

"Synne!" The black haired devil Chara shot from wherever she had been.

"We have a problem; there are still X Eggs and I feel like I was a lucky coincidence." I looked around at Kukai's words and noticed that the X Eggs were started to go out of control.

"People are starting to wake up as well." Akiyama's words were alarming.

"Rima and Nagi, they can help." Akiyama shook her head at my words.

"Rima left school because something with one of her parents and Nagi conveniently sides with Ciel so he refused to attend the meeting we should be having right now and instead went with Rima. So, we don't have help coming." I stood up slowly feeling woozy but as I did the crayon bubbles popped and the X Eggs were letting off a massive amount of energy.

"Rewrite: Pure." I was surprised when Ciel's voice carried from nowhere, symbols appeared on the different X Eggs and they began to be purified.

"Ciel, why did you transform?" Akiyama mumbled the words but I heard it.

"Ciel has Shugo Charas?" Akiyama nodded at Kukai's question.

"She hides it very well doesn't she? Ciel often refuses to use her Character Transformations though because every time she does-" A scream cut Akiyama off and I looked to Synne, she was screaming and the crack that was on her face seemed to spread.

"Synne suffers." I stared stunned.

"That's not how things are supposed to work." Kukai spoke as he dropped his Character Transformation but he had also knelt down and picked Synne up.

"Don't you remember what Alek said? Synne might as well be the physical manifestation of Ciel's heart." I blinked but I glanced over at the door that Kimura had gone through, Ciel had walked in.

Ciel looked the same as she had though; she wore her uniform and didn't even glance towards the crowd of waking students. Something wasn't right even though she looked the same. I watched as she climbed onto the stage and she turned to face the crowd. She clapped her hands and I saw sparks of transparent shapes that were tinted green. My eyes widened as it seemed as if everything rewound in time and it was as if nothing had happened.

"Welcome to the Winter Meeting – before the meeting that will take place the Theater Department would like to show a video to you, it is in promotion for a play that will be put on during the Winter Festival." Ciel smiled and her voice carried, far different than her usual quiet wall flower act.

"Kira-chan, you should probably go and get the others." Kukai spoke as he stood.

"Mind telling me how Ciel made everything go back to how it was?" I asked it because I really didn't understand how Ciel had managed that because a Character Change couldn't do that.

"Ciel's Character Transformation, Sky Lore, is capable of illusions." I looked to the devil Chara she floated close to Synne that was still in Kukai's hands.

"I'll go and get them, let's hope Alek doesn't do anything because things might not turn out pretty." Akiyama rushed without dropping her Character Transformation but it would have been risky if she had done it when people could've seen her.

"Please be respectful of the work that everyone put into the video!" Ciel got off of the stage and the video began to play but it was different than the last one.

"Ciel!" The devil Chara shouted and I noticed that Ciel was headed straight for us.

"You two!" She growled the words out and I was afraid suddenly.

"What the heck were you two thinking? You two should've known not to trust Kimura!" She kept her voice down and everyone was focused on the video or whispering to each other about something.

"And you!" Ciel stopped in front of me and jabbed me with her finger.

"You should know better than to have done what you did! You can barely stand! I told you go home." I blinked.

"Did you know this was going to happen?" Kukai asked the question but he seemed like he barely got the words out.

"Yes, I knew this was going to happen and I was technically a part of it today. I was doing it only so I could back the Egg that was stolen from Ami though. Yet you two crashed my plan so now they have Ami's Egg _and_ Synne had to step in so Synne can't even watch them and tell me their moves anymore." Ciel curled her hands into fists.

"I've fought Midnight for a while by myself and I wanted to keep you two out of this. The last time I involved someone it was Alek and you can see how that ended!" Ciel was having problems keeping her voice down so a few glanced but they had at most heard the very tail end of what was said.

"Ciel, they took Suu. Kimura put an X on her. I had to do something to get her back." Ciel grabbed me by my shirt and I stared at her stunned, her eyes blazed with something that was far from familiar.

"If you had listened to me you wouldn't have had to go through that. If you had gone home when I told you to that wouldn't have happened." I yelped because suddenly I was being dragged by Ciel.

"Wha, Ciel!" Kukai chased after us and people looked at us.

"Can I have everyone's attention!" Akiyama shouted the words and jumped onto the stage, the trailer had ended and people were whispering about Ciel dragging me.

"The meeting will now begin!" I was pulled out of the gym by Ciel just as Akiyama yelled the words, drawing everyone's attention to her.

I stumbled backwards and I fell to the ground. Ciel had pretty much flung me. I stared at her stunned because I hadn't ever thought she would do that. We were still under the overhang but snow still dotted the ground.

"Why didn't just listen to me Amu? I was trying to keep you out of this since you practically died." Ciel's shoulders were grabbed by Kukai as she spoke.

"Ciel, you need to calm down. There is no reason you have to be so harsh." Kukai's eyes widened and I stared stunned; Ciel had spun on her feet breaking out of Kukai's grasp while having slapped his hands away.

"Do you two not understand? Kimura can make X Eggs out of any Egg if the owner's heart is weakened by anything – even if normal circumstances for X Eggs are not present. Amu is recovering from practically dying due to hyperthermia while you're still hurting over what happened in the past Kukai. I wanted to keep you two far from this battle. Besides, Daichi is pretty close to going back to your heart while Amu already had her Shugo Charas go back once." Why did Ciel sound so terrified suddenly?

"All the more reason you should've reached out to us, we could've helped you Ciel." She shook her head at Kukai's words and there was a glimmer of green sparks as a Shugo Chara appeared above her – probably having undone the illusion capable Character Transformation.

"No, I made my mistake in involving Alek. I got stabbed in the back by him. I thought out of everyone I could trust him but he chose to work with my mother and I'll never forgive that." I barely focused on Ciel's words because I stared at the green haired Chara that was beside her, Wis.

"Besides, you two know my past so you two should believe me when I tell you my mother ain't afraid of using underhanded means to deal with people." I didn't know what she meant, well I had an idea but I didn't like the thought.

"Now that you two showed that you're on my side, that you're going to fight against Midnight they won't leave you two alone. They left you two alone because you guys didn't participate." Ciel's shoulders shook and it seemed like anger had left her – tears had started to roll down her cheeks.

"Why couldn't you two just stay out of it? You two have enough on your plates at this point in time; you two don't need the added burden of dealing with Midnight. Easter was bad enough for you two because you two never got to enjoy things because you guys were targets. Why would you two just step back into a similar situation?" Was, Ciel really trying to protect us?

"What's done is done Ciel. There is no rewriting the past, even my Character Transformation cannot do that. I may be able to rewrite things but nothing of that grand scale." Wis spoke the words but it made me wonder what kind of abilities that Wis's Character Transformation had.

"Now that they're involved you can stop shouldering the entire burden on your shoulders. You wanted to rely on someone so rely on the two you know, deep down, would never betray you. They already chose you over the others." Ciel sighed at Wis's words.

"Ciel?" She looked at me and the hate that had been in her eyes earlier were gone.

"That was an act, when you left the classroom that hate was an act." The words tumbled out when it dawned on me.

"I couldn't hate you; I knew that everything did point to me. Alek knows me well enough to spin the truth and weave a web that would point at me." Ciel offered me a hand.

"Sorry about throwing you." I hesitated but I grabbed her hand and she pulled me up.

"Now that that's out of the way perhaps we should go back into the building before we freeze!" I looked at the devil Chara; she was supporting Synne alongside a Chara that had white cat ears.

"That would be wise since you stated your friend nearly died of hypothermia once already." I flinched but Ciel nodded while her hands were on her hips.

"Yeah, hopefully that's all they'll do today." Ciel looked at the sky but I didn't get to question her since Kukai had grabbed my hand and pulled me back into the gym, leaving Ciel outside by herself.

I stared at Kukai but I smiled. Before he could let go of my hand I gripped his hand. I don't know why but I didn't want him to let go. I wanted to hold his hand for a little while longer.

* * *

**Also, so people don't freak out the thing with what Synne did WILL be explained probably next chapter or the chapter after that. I felt like that would've been to much to cram into this chapter and I didn't really feel like it was the right time to explain it just yet because things are still sinking in.**


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